Game Over, Game On
by Lambda38
Summary: Jaune Arc, admirer of heroes, descendant of legends, brother to some of the strongest Huntresses. One would think his strength would reach just as high as they. One would be wrong if one thought as such. Full Summary Inside. Eventual OP Gamer Jaune. Strong Jaune for now.
1. Chapter 1

Full Summary: Jaune Arc, admirer of heroes, descendant of legends, brother to some of the strongest Huntresses. One would think his strength would reach just as high as they. One would be wrong if one thought as such. He was weak, and failed often. With his final chance laid before him, he takes his father's armor, sword, and shield to go and slay creatures of Grimm and prove his strength. The being he awakens, will change everything.

 **A/N:** Hello. Lambda38 here, welcome to my first story ever, a challenge from one PrimordialGuardian. If you like this chapter, goody, if you don't, I don't care, you're unimportant to me. Anyhow, read, review if you feel like, might make me update sooner. Expect slow updates, as my life exists outside of Fanfiction and this is a side project.

So yeah, later, people.

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 **Chapter 1: Grasp your Soul**

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 **Jaune's POV**

I sigh as I pull the breastplate on over my hoodie, feeling some discomfort at how it's not exactly meant for me as I am. Not surprising. It belonged to my father, and he, while about as tall as myself and as wide, was much more muscular. I slowly draw on all the armor pieces before reaching up and grabbing Crocea Mors off of its stand, in the small armory that the Arc family house has. After a moment, I take Crocea Luna off of its stand, collapsing the shield and sheathing Crocea Mors inside, before turning around and slowly heading out of the room, my heart heavy as I go out for what will likely be one of the last attempts to get into a Hunter school.

My grades had never been good enough, I'd never been strong enough, I just didn't have the ability as a fighter, a thousand reasons which all piled up into a single fact.

I couldn't get into any Hunter school. Not Signal, where all my sisters either were going or had gone to. Even my family's clout from producing great Hunters and Huntresses, not to mention the contributions to the great war, hadn't been enough to pull me in there, and all the other schools were just as rigorous, if not more so with Atlas.

I walked through the crypt like halls of my home, reaching the door before the only other present denizen calls out to me.

"Jaune." I hear my twin sister Rose call. I look over my shoulder to see her light blue eyes looking at me with concern, her bow over her shoulder with a quiver in hand, her light leather armor protecting her without impeding her movement. She walks towards me, her shoulder length blond hair swishing around slightly. "Where are you going out dressed like there?" I suppress a sigh and gulp, looking at her with determination.

 _You won't stop me, Rose. I need to do this. I don't expect you to let me go without a fight, but you will let me go._ I think as I stand up straight.

"Hey, Rose. I'm heading out to do some hunting." I reply, trying my best to be vague, though I am willing to acknowledge I'm not.

I fail, as her face falls and her eyes become piercing, like small lasers.

"Jaune, how many times must we say that you don't need to be a Huntsman?" She says, slightly irked, slightly worried. "We are your sisters and we love you, you don't need to prove yourself to anybody as a Huntsman." She tries to convey her earnest honesty through her gaze, though it's rather dulled by her flat expression.

Though try telling that to Olivia. I was never good enough for her, and she sees me as an embarrassment to our father, even if she doesn't express it vocally.

"It's not about proving myself to anybody!" I yell, though I doubt I fool either of us. "I want to be a Huntsman, I want to be like dad was! Why can't you just leave me alone about this?" Rose's face twitches slightly, but she manages to stay calm.

"Jaune, if you try to face off with Grimm, you will die. You don't have your Aura unlocked, you don't have a Semblance as a result of that fact, and your skills with a sword are subpar at best." She says, trying to use 'logic' to get me to 'see reason.' "Jaune, you can't win."

I wish that my sisters would just lay off of me at times!

"You're not our mother, Rose!" I shout, causing her to openly flinch, which makes me feel some guilt, but I quash it before it can take root. "You can't control what I'm going to do and you have no right to tell me what I can and can't do!" Even if you're likely right. "Just leave me alone!"

I don't have a moment to react before I'm thrown out of the door by my sister, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Fine, go and get yourself killed, why don't you!" She screams at me, hiccups breaking her voice slightly. I land painfully and roll once before stopping. I groan as I get up and move away from the house, putting it and the guilt behind me. I head towards the Emerald forest, which stretches the eastern border of the Kingdom of Vale, just before the mountains.

I enter the forest, drawing my blade and holding it in a tight grip, my shield extending over my left arm. I walk forward, the trees feeling as if they are pressing against me rather than protecting. I walk for several hours, before I hear them. Their growls.

I whirl to see a Beowolf leaping at me claws first. I panic and slash at it, managing to slice its arm, but fail to do great damage, while it slams into me a moment later. I try to kick it off with my feet, but fail. I watch as it raises its head to bite me, and jab at its head, managing to impale it, killing it.

I scramble up as it dissipates, tugging my sword out of its head. I look up and dive to the side to avoid a charging Boarbatusk, landing hard on my stomach. I groan as I stand and see a Beowolf above me, its claws descending mercilessly. I try to move my shield in between us, but before I can, another strike lands on my back, knocking me forward into the other strike.

I cry out in pain as the claws dig into my flesh, straight through my breastplate, before screaming as teeth clamp down on my shoulder, the Beowolf picking me up and shaking me around, before painfully tossing me into a nearby tree, Crocea Mors and Crocea Luna flying away from me.

I force my eyes to open in time to see a rolling Boarbatusk bearing down on me. I try to move, but fall from the pain of it all.

 _No! I haven't proven myself! I'm just, I'm just a failure…_ I think in despair as my death approaches. _I can't die here. I need to prove myself! I need to win! I, I want to win…_ My eyes close as I wait for the inevitable, death's herald shouting loudly in my mind.

I feel something arise from my chest as another energy forces itself into my head, strength suddenly surging through my limbs, driving me and sending me into overdrive. I feel the energy in my head moving around as if in confusion, before settling in the back of my head and my eyes, forcing them open.

 _ **Grimm. Hm. They seem like low class beings, however they are prepared to kill me.**_ A deep and foreboding voice announces in my head. _**I believe the last time I saw a Grimm was when we were facing off against Larell and Larella. Insanity incarnate. Curious, how am I alive? Hm, a question for another time.**_

The energy flows through my body and forces me to rise, bringing up my hand, clenched into a fist, before punching straight through the armor of the charging boar Grimm.

"Huh. That's strange. Last time I faced one this weak it disintegrated." My voice says without my intent my eyes track to my fist.

 _Who the hell are you?_ I scream in my mind, afraid. _What are you doing?_

The power in my mind seems shocked as I speak to it, before it levels my hand at the Grimm left charging me.

"Chain Lightning." My voice enunciates before an arc of energy channels between my arm and the first Grimm, before it arcs to the rest of them, leaving them to disintegrate into dust, stunning me into silence. My head nods as my eyes look at my hand, seeing no blemishes from channeling that power.

 **Congratulations, Jaune!**

 _What_ _ **the**_ _he_ _ **ll**_ _!_ _ **?**_ Both myself and the invading presence think at the pop up screen before us.

 **You have successfully unlocked your Aura and Semblance, the former awakening a being named Ainz Ooal Gown(Ainz), who took residence in your Aura when you were in the womb, and the latter being me! Congrats!**

What is going on right now?

 _ **It appears that I'm invading your body, young Jaune. My apologies, though I do thank you for giving me another chance to interact with Remnant, if without your consent. This is Remnant correct?**_ This, Ainz person, asks, making me feel weird as I literally have a voice in my head, and I stumble as I realize that I have control of my body back. _**Well, regardless, I believe I need to give you your body back. Congratulations on unlocking your Aura.**_

 **Well, Jaune, here are the facts. You have a second voice in your head, your Semblance is the Gamer, and you're a fool.** The screen pops up before me and types out the message, making me huff in anger. **You went out and attacked Grimm without proper training, no back up, and no real plan except swing and stab, you idiot. At least Ainz and I are here now to give you an edge(and a few knocks on the head)**

"And why should I listen to either of you?" I ask, walking over to Crocea Luna and pick it up before collapsing it.

 **You have no obligation to. You'd just be an idiot if you didn't, you hormonal sister hurting teenager.** The message pops up just as I pick up Crocea Mors, making me pause for a moment, the guilt of yelling at Rose coming back for a moment. **Exactly, Jaune. Now listen for a moment and call Stats.** I grit my teeth before complying, bringing up another window with my name and a few numbers on it.

 **Name: Jaune Arc**

 **Race: Human Level 1**

 **Race EXP: 90/100**

 **Class: Squire Level 1:**

 **Class EXP: 0/100**

 **HP: 600**

 **AP: 1,500**

 **STR:45**

 **AGI: 45**

 **END: 45**

 **INT: 5**

 **WIS: 10**

 **LCK: 10**

 **DEF: 45**

 **RES: 45**

 **Extra Points: 5**

 **As you can clearly guess, awakening Ainz was like getting several years of full battle Hunter experience.(courtesy of moi, but that is merely strength, speed, endurance, and defense wise, not skill wise, though what little I could I managed to force feed to your body and mind, so you're a little better than swish swish stab) His magic power is incredible(and y'know, magical), however, you won't be able to mimic it ever. You are based in Swordsmanship, and maybe life magic if you decide to go that way.** The letters spread across the screen, confusing me a little. **As you can tell as well, we aren't able to increase your Intelligence or Wisdom much, though both are still incredibly low comparatively to where you need to be. With more stat assignments, you might be able to get it up to a good level.**

 _ **So I'm not capable of giving him my experience?**_ Ainz asks inside my head.

 **No. You can't, because his body is still underdeveloped. Once he is in peak physical and mental condition, perhaps.** The text scrolls past my eyes as I attach my shield to my belt and sheath Crocea Mors. **However, that would be counterintuitive regardless for multiple reason. You have your classes now Ainz, while Jaune, thanks to you and I, can have a completely opposite class set for obvious reasons. Also, for him to inherit your classes, he'd need to be fully developed, which would be around age 25-26 or so. It would be ridiculous to wait that long.**

 _ **That is a wise plan, I believe. Hm. We should head for Nazarick.**_ Ainz comments.

"Nazarick?" I ask, confused as my legs begin moving as Ainz takes over the lower half of my body, nearly causing me to panic before a feeling sweeps over my mind, calming me down.

 **Nazarick, an ancient place that was transported into this world by the great being known only as Momonga.** The message appears before my eyes swiftly, as if anticipating my question. **It was once a place of great power and ruled most of Remnant, however most of its denizens, which make most current Huntsmen and Huntresses look like toy soldiers, were forced to confront a great darkness, which cost most of the lives of most of Nazarick's warriors, and its great leader Momonga. Nazarick was left to decay on the majorly uninhabited region of Saunus, to the east of Vale.**

 _ **Gate.**_ I hear Ainz say in my mind as a purple and black hole expands in front of us, before we walk through without a moment's delay, giving me no time to panic. When I step out on the other side, I see remnants of a ruined tomb before me, the stones falling out of place everywhere.

"Welcome to Nazarick, though it is far beyond its prime. I doubt that anyone will be willing to enter here simply because of its aura." Ainz says through my mouth. "However, what guardians that are left are likely still willing to kill any who enter." I try to force my body to stop walking, but to no avail, as he forces my body to walk forward towards the foreboding and crumbling entrance. I look up as we enter the structure, almost expecting it to fall on me. Thankfully, we manage to pass through it without trouble, though the moment we descend the steps just behind the entrance, a figure greets us.

"Hail, traveler." I hear the figure, a girl, by her voice, call, though she sounds exhausted. "Might I ask why you have entered the Tomb of Nazarick?" I squint, trying to see her face, though from what I can tell in the shadows, she is shorter than I am by at least a half a foot.

"Hail, Guardian." Ainz speaks through my mouth, making me antsy, since I don't like hearing my voice without my urging. "I am a traveler from the winds of times long gone by, you may call me Jaune." I see the figure nod before putting a foot slightly behind the other, taking an offensive stance.

"Welcome, Jaune. I think you will find your welcome less than stellar at the moment, all things considered." She informs me before she charges, turning into a single dark blur. I see her for a moment before me, clad in a dark gray armor which covers her entire body, with intricate purple and green flame designs all over it, her arm pulled back with her hands curled into fists. "So please, die."

I jump back in slight panic, my body back under my control at last.

 _ **You will need to convince her to step down. Show her who resides in you, show her your resolve!**_ Ainz shouts to me, making me wince.

 _Dude, we have the same head right now, no need to shout._ I think in irritation, though a part of me glances at the fact that I ought be panicking about the fact that my head is being shared, I merely draw my sword and shield, before taking a low defensive stance, my form with the blade much better than it was.

"Hm. Very well, I will recognize you as a warrior by name, Jaune, traveler of the winds of time." She says. "I will grant you my name. I am called Ella." She charges at me again, and I stay calm and steady, bringing up my shield to block her punch, which staggers me, much to my surprise, before I catch myself and push back, before shifting my shield, letting her slip by as I swing my Crocea Mors towards her torso.

 _ **Word from the wise, Ella is one of the strongest Denizens of Nazarick, created by the Supreme Being LaguzDraco. She will break your shield if you try to absorb her attacks too many times.**_ Ainz comments as Ella moves.

She jumps over my strike, her body spinning head over heels before one of her feet comes slamming at my face. I lift my shield as I move to the side, angling to deflect the blow. Her foot slides off of my shield, and she lands in a crouch before she launches herself at me, her helmet clipping my chin, stunning me as I try to move out of the way. I stumble as I spin and swing my sword in a circle, forcing her back as I regain my bearings.

 **Through usage of certain moves, a skill has been created.**

 **Circle Slash**

 **A whirling slash which either forces enemies back, or kills them, that is, if they don't block.**

 **150% Slash Damage, 40% Chance of Intimidation Effect. -95% Reaction Time if Blocked.**

 **That was really stupid, Jaune, but whatever works. By the way.**

 **Class Level Up!**

 **Squire Level 2**

 **15% Speed increase with swords**

 **10% Defense increase with swords**

 **15% Defense increase with shields**

 **Now get back in the game(pun intended) before you die!**

I look back at Ella to find her just before me, her hand in a spear shape. I duck to the left, raising my sword to parry her hand.

I manage to divert her strike without taking any damage, but Crocea Mors is wrenched from my hand by the force of her strike. I roll over my shoulder to escape, looking to my sword for a moment after I get up before deciding that I won't be able to reach it before I die, so I do the only thing I can.

I put my right hand on my left arm, raise my shield, and charge at the charging armored form. She crosses her arms, speeding up as I do the same. We collide with a massive clang, my shield groaning in protest, as we try to muscle the other back. The dirt beneath my feet kicks up as she steadily pushes forward, forcing me back. I growl before pulling my right arm back behind the cover of my shield, letting Crocea Luna shift towards my right, allowing Ella to force forward, though she plants her left foot and turns to face me as I pull my shield back and launch my fist at her head.

My fist collides heavily with it, forcing her back several steps as pain rings throughout my hand, though I ignore it as I run for my sword, faster than I thought I could ever have done.

 **Race Level Up!**

 **Human Level 2**

 **Health +50**

 **Aura +125(Arc Perk)**

 **Str, Agi, End, Def +5**

 **Res +4**

 **Wis, Int +3**

 **Extra Pnts +10**

I ignore the pop up as I grab Crocea Mors and turn, slashing at Ella as she launches a kick at me. My sword meets her breastplate at near the same moment her foot meets my face. I watch in pain as Crocea Mors pierces her chest a moment before I'm flung off my feet, the pain dulled by my Aura before it vanishes, and I land heavily on my back, several feet away from where I was.

 **692 Aura Points Lost!**

I groan as I stand up, a moment before Ainz takes over my body, sheathing my sword and strapping it to my waist, folding my arms as he looks at the bleeding Ella.

"Enough, Ella." He orders. "Do you not recognize my aura, perhaps?" Ella merely looks at us, taking a stance as she scoffs. "Fine. Perhaps you will recognize this. **[Aura of Despair 1].** " The effect is immediate, causing Ella to nearly fold with shock on her face. Her eyes glare through the visor of her helm for the first time, their light purple light tracking my eyes.

"Lord, Lord Ainz?" She asks hesitantly, some small amounts of wonder in her voice. "Can it truly be you?" She hesitantly falls to a knee. "If it is, then I apologize for my disrespect, my lord."

"It is of no consequence, Ella. Remove your helm, let my host know your face." Ainz orders as the weight seems to vanish from her shoulders, and she swiftly acquiesces, removing her helmet to reveal the most adorable face I've ever seen. She has short green hair framing a young face with big purple eyes, with her mouth in a small but still noticeable pout.

"What is it that you desire, my Lord?" She asks, her hesitation having vanished, her voice now strong.

 _ **Well, I suppose that we should be appraised of the situation in Nazarick, Jaune. I'll leave it to you for now, and give my own opinions when needed.**_ Ainz informs me as I barely prevent myself from slouching.

"Well, what's the situation here?" I ask, slightly confused. "What happened to this place?" Ella looks at me in confusion, before some slight understanding dawns on her face.

"You're Lord Ainz's host aren't you?" She asks as she stands, staring at me. I gulp as I nod, while she merely turns away and begins walking off. "Follow me while I explain." I start after her, and fall in line behind her, as she begins. "Nazarick was transported to this planet, Remnant, from the realm of Yggdrasil, sometime around two thousand years ago." My eyes widen in shock as I realize just how old this place and the girl in front of me are. "Initially, we were hesitant to leave the safety and sanctity of Nazarick, however, we found the creatures of Grimm rather quickly. Unfortunately for them, they were never a severe threat to us, and we slaughtered them in the thousands. However, it was at that time that a different threat appeared before us." Her face twists in disgusts as she looks back at me, making me hesitate a moment.

"A threat with no name, a pair of Hunters, twins, who had been poisoned by Grimm blood." Ella reveals as she looks forward again, turning down a hall that reveals a portal as I turn the bend. "All of Nazarick's might went out to fight against the two, because they posed such a great threat that not even the Supreme Beings Momonga and Draco, my creator, could defeat. All of Nazarick went to face them." She vanishes through the portal, and I gulp before stepping right after her.

I look to find her before a pair of massive doors stretching many yards above my head, making me feel incredibly small. I notice the metal corroded with rust and that many of the gems have fallen out of place and been left to litter the ground. I look back at Ella to see sadness coloring her gaze.

"And out of all that went, only I, the Butler of Nazarick, Sebas Tian, and the Guardian Overseer Albedo survived." She calmly states as she pushes the doors open, the doors slowly opening with a loud shriek. "Both of the others became despondent when the rest died, Sebas because of the sorrow of losing his Lords and all his comrades. Albedo, because of the fact that Lord Momonga was the person she loved more than her own life." She steps to the side of the entryway, revealing a room with multiple faded flags dangling from poles up in the heights of the room, and a massive throne on a separate platform, the steps leading up to it broken in multiple places.

"What happened to this place?" I ask quietly, not expecting an answer, though Ella heard me and answered.

"Time happened, boy. Time." She replies sadly as I walk by, looking around as several spots up near the ceiling provide some light. "With the Butler of Nazarick drowning in grief, and no maids to keep the Tomb in good condition, I've had to self teach myself. But I'm a warrior, and not a maid. I've done what I can, but not even Sebas can prevent time from passing. I am called Ella, I guard Tomb of Nazarick these days, but once I was only assigned to guard the entryway of the eighth floor." She turns and walks out the door. "I will fetch Lady Albedo and Sebas Tian. If you survive, we'll see about you getting called by your name, boy." That last comment makes me turn in panic as I speak.

"W-wait, I won't really be in danger of dying, w-will I…" I trail off as I see that she's already gone. I put my hands to my head as I head deeper into the room, not wanting to risk getting lost. "What am I gonna do? Perhaps I could make a run for it? No, that wouldn't do any good for anyone. Maybe I could try fighting? But if I heard that lady right, this Albedo she's fetching is likely stronger if this place gets rank from strength… Oh, what can I do!"

 **Perhaps ask the two in your head, hmm?** The text pops up obnoxiously before my face. **You do have a likely smarter Semblance than you are, dummy, not to mention an ancient being in this kind sir Mr. Ainz, idiot.**

I scowl as my Semblance insults me, and open my mouth to retort when a furious cry reaches my ears and I turn to see an absolutely beautiful woman in a white dress with black wings and horns on her head. Just one problem with this vision.

Well, two really.

One, her eyes are locked on me and she has a look of absolute hatred directed at me, and two… Well, too late now.

I feel the punch slam into my chest and feel the metal slightly dent as my Aura completely shatters, my back slamming into the far wall, the pain causing my vision to swim as I slide to the ground.

 _Dang it, what the hell is she? She hits like a Beringel, dang it!_ I think as I struggle to my feet and look at the woman incredulously, and see her sneer, obvious distaste on her face.

 _ **Guardian Overseer Albedo, a succubus. Arguably the strongest being in Nazarick at the current time. Not certain if Ella was holding back against you or not.**_ Ainz comments in my mind. I nearly let out a groan. _**If it makes you feel any more confident, Albedo will likely try to toy with you before killing you, giving Sebas and Ella more time to arrive. Also, Ella likely held back so that you wouldn't die ashamed.**_

That does nothing for my next to shattered pride.

 _Can't you come out and convince her that she doesn't want to kill us?_ I ask, panicking. I practically feel Ainz shrugging.

 _ **I depend on your Aura to take control of your body, that's what allows me to inhabit your form at all.**_ He informs me, much to my despair. _**Also, me revealing myself may prompt her to try and kill you all the more, it is all uncertain at this point. However, I can tell you she has a pathological dislike of humans. Try to convince Sebas and Ella to side with you once they arrive and you may have a chance of survival. It's low, but the only chance that you have.**_

I would have retorted, but I had to dive out of the way of another strike from the demon woman, and come up with my shield on my arm and Crocea Mors in hand, trembling slightly.

 **Oh, good, some of your Aura has recovered, I can talk to you again. Remember Jaune, you likely cannot survive this, so this is what is colloquially known as a trial by fire. A very, very large fire. Good luck!** My Semblance writes out in what I can practically hear is a cheerful tone. I sigh at the unhelpful nature of my two 'inhabitants' as I ready to face the storm. **Ah, you'll be fine. Don't worry about it so much.** I let out a disbelieving scoff at that.

The Succubus charges and strikes at me, barely leaving me a moment to dodge as I do so, striking with my sword, missing by inches, though probably because she feels like toying with me, if the contempt in her eyes means anything. I stumble as my swing continues on without resistance, trying to recover in time for her next charge, while she merely grins ferally.

I am so dead.

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Welp. He dead. Peace.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Just a note, I made the training calculations(timewise anyhow) based on the idea that the Signal/Beacon school year begins in April.

Also, just a little thing to any flamers, just shut up. I could not care less, and it's a nuisance to delete your reviews. At least log on.

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 **Chapter 2: Knockoff Training Montage**

 **Jaune's POV**

I scramble up and away as Albedo plants a fist where I had been standing previously. Honestly, that was all I'd been doing for the past several minutes, and it's pathetic. She's not even letting me get the time to even swing my sword… I mean, I'm grateful for the training she's providing, don't get me wrong, but in the several months that I've been here she still doesn't know how to tone it back at all…

Thankfully, Sebas and Ella tend to step in if Albedo takes it too far.

I turn and face the Guardian Overseer and raise my shield, charging, before she scoffs and bats me away with the back of her hand, causing a major dent in my Aura yet again.

"How many times have I told you not to come into my presence if you can't even defend yourself?" She asks me as she steps towards my fallen body. I groan as I stand.

"Not counting the screeching?" I ask cheekily, making her scowl darkly. "About twenty-six times." She shakes her head in frustration at my answer.

"Get out of here and go train with Ella. I have to make sure that the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown hasn't lost too much power." She orders me coldly.

I groan and shuffle my feet out the door.

While I had made leaps and strides with my sword form in the past months, and even leveled up my race and class eight and ten times respectively, but even now I can't even come close to touching Albedo.

 **You shouldn't really feel bad. Albedo is a level one hundred while you are only a level twenty-two in comparison. In reality, you'd probably be perfectly fine going to a Huntsman academy. I'd actually wager that you are roughly the level of a Beacon Graduate… A Low ranked Beacon Graduate, but a Beacon Graduate nonetheless.**

 _I could become so much more here though. I know that my sisters are probably very worried since I haven't seen them face to face in a while and it's been nearly a week since I checked in, but even so, I want to at least become a Paladin yet, Game._ I think in reply.

 _ **While you certainly could become that strong within a year of full training at Nazarick, perhaps you should content yourself with Knighthood after this?**_ Ainz suggests. _**That would likely only take the next four months, rather than a year, and I am certain that your family would love to see you again.**_

I turn my head to gaze at the floor in guilt as I walk along, sheathing Crocea Mors.

 _And then what? Everything will go back to the way it was?_ I think bitterly. _With my sisters babying me, and everybody thinking that I'm too weak to be of any use?_

 **Calm down, Jaune. As it stands, it is too late for you to go to Signal this year, so just train for a while and then see where you are come Christmas. We'll go home at that point with gifts for all our sisters, and if you feel the need to train more, we will return here. Does that sound fair?**

I quickly calculate the math and figure that means I have a little over seven months to complete my training.

 _It'll work._

 **Excellent. Now, seeing as Ella and Sebas are nice, we should ask them to help craft gifts for our sisters in their spare time, should they have any. Though, between powering the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown just so this place doesn't fall apart at the seams and trying to raise the standards of living, I'm not sure they'll be too successful.**

I nod as I see Ella come around the corner. She smiles at me, dressed in a white suit, unlike her dark armor. I asked her why she was wearing it once and apparently her creator thought that if her two choices of attire looked completely different, then enemies would be less likely to make the connection that she was the one who attacked them.

She never saw combat until she came to Remnant, but that's unimportant.

"Hello, Jaune," she greets cordially with a smile. "Albedo sent you to me for further training, I presume?" I nod in reply, gaining a sigh. "I told you that you wouldn't be able to scratch the surface of her armor, but do you even bother listening? Something tells me she just batted you around in her dress."

I flinch at the astute accusation. Even in comparison to when Albedo is exhausted from powering the Staff, she is more than able to fling me around like a dog's chew toy.

I rub my shoulder as it tingles from that thought. One good thing from this, I now have epic battle scars. Girls love scars.

 **Oh, my poor padawan. You may one day learn the truth.** The Game writes astutely to me.

 _ **I must agree with the Game at this juncture.**_ Ain't interjects, making me scowl.

 _Who's side are you two on, anyway?_ I ask in irritation.

 **Et tu, Jaune?** I can feel the sarcastic pain flowing from that sentence, but for the life of me, I don't know why… Or what the words mean.

 _Do you even know what that means?_ I ask Game snappily.

 **Nope. Not a clue, just felt it might fit. By the by, duck.** The Game replies happily. I immediately drop to the ground, seeing as how it's never led me astray yet.

I hear the whistle of displaced air, which was undoubtedly Ella getting impatient with my distraction. I roll forward and stand facing where I had been and where Ella now stands, a smirk adorning her face. I draw Crocea Mors and Luna, my stance and posture leagues better than what it was before I left my house that long time ago.

I trained many hours with a Summon of Ella's, a Paladin, she called it, though it had been a weak summon, according to her. Merely a level forty, in comparison to Albedo's level one hundred. It is still completely beyond my ability to damage, however, it was able to speak with me and gave me many instructions on how to hold my sword, how to stand, and how to fight certain opponents. I'd grown greatly under its strict tutelage and was able to actually scratch its armor at this point.

Ella had also summoned many low level monsters for me to slaughter, allowing me to gain much more EXP than I had by simply training. Still, I had nearly been killed by level two monsters because of how poor my form was the first time. That really put how easy Ella was going on my in perspective.

I jump forward at her, my sword arcing through the air at her. She bats it to the side with her hand and launches a quick jab at my chest. I barely dodge, and try to bash her in the face with my shield, which she easily dodges. I groan in irritation, and recieve a quick kick in the back of my thigh for my own distraction. I collapse to one knee, and launch an elbow back at her, trying my damndest to land at least one strike. She merely jumps back, allowing me to rise to my feet.

I turn towards her and take a more defensive stance, waiting for her to strike. She stares at me for several minutes, neither of us making a move, despite the lack of action. I learned the hard way that Ella enjoys playing with people's patience. Hers is incredible to even think of.

We continue staring at each other, the tension clogging the area around us. I gulp slightly, trying to bear with it, and in an instant, Ella was several feet from me, to right in front of me. I quickly bring up my shield to block, trying to angle to deflect, but failing as her fist forces me back several feet. I ready my sword behind my shield, and try to stab her as I steady myself, using her own forward momentum for the strike.

She once again bats my sword away with her palm, transferring the parry into a jab, landing a fierce blow to my stomach, knocking the wind from my lungs.

I cough as I'm knocked onto my back, trying to use the force to roll backwards onto my feet. I end up on my hands and knees, heaving for proper breathe. I glare at Ella as she stands dispassionately, inspecting her nails as I rise to my feet, growling.

 _Damn it! This isn't working!_ I think in frustration.

 **Don't forget about what you've been granted thanks to leveling up, Jaune. You have your Aura, and you have your skills. Keep going, and use them.** The Game replies.

I respond with a minute nod, raising my shield before me and charging at her. She braces herself and absorbs my shield rush.

 _Mighty Swing!_ I think, activating one of my Squire Class skills. I swing my sword in a small arc from my side, my sword barreling into her hand as she grabs it, forcing her arm to bend minutely in response.

"Excellent, now show me more!" Ella praises with a wide grin, launching a kick with her left leg. I block it with my shield, staggering from the blow and losing my sword to the force of Ella pulling it. I shake my head as I recover, shrinking Crocea Luna to its sheath form and grasping it in my sword hand, brandishing it like a weapon. "Good, use all the tools at your disposal!" She charges, swinging Crocea Mors, prompting me to duck beneath it, jabbing her stomach with Crocea Luna, and hitting the bottom of her extended arm with my free left hand, forcing her arm upwards, providing another clear opportunity.

I lash out with my foot, looping behind hers and surging towards her with my torso, forcing her backwards and tripping her. She turns the fall into a backflip, launching her legs up into the air, one colliding with my face and staggering me, sending me backwards till I fall onto my backside. I shake my head and make to stand when I feel a blade against my neck. I uncross my eyes to see Ella looming over me with a grin on her face, eyes shining.

"It's been too long since I've actually been taken by surprise, kid!" She praises happily, removing Crocea Mors and offering the hilt to me. "All in all, I think you're doing fine. Not going to take anyone in Nazarick out anytime soon, but much better than the last time we sparred. Sebas is training you well, if you already incorporate martial arts into your fighting style. Well, terrible martial arts, but that's unimportant. Soon, you might be worthy of the Monk Class! But that's all if you really pursue it. Plenty of people ignore the Monk Class in favor of flashy weapons." She waves her hand dismissively as I stand and accept my sword. "You also have finally realized that even if your sword is removed that you aren't weaponless. Sheaths like Crocea Luna can be incredibly potent weapons. You've improved, now keep doing it. Now, do you want to keep sparring, or do you want me to summon my Paladin?"

I look into Ella's purple eyes, nodding firmly.

"I'm almost to the next level of Squire. My own Racial class should level within a few days after that. Let's keep sparring," I reply. Ella looks at me with a smile, before giggling.

"You do realize it wasn't a question worth giving a nod to, right?" She replies, making me fold like a deck of cards, groaning. She pats my head as I sulk silently. "There, there."

* * *

6 Months Later

I block the Paladins strike, shoving my shield at its face. It blocks with its own shield, disengaging swiftly, before leaping back to gain some distance. I charge after it, using Mighty Slash liberally, my AP going down accordingly. The Paladin is faster, but I've grown as well.

"Piercing Thrust!" I shout, striking the center of its breastplate, having knocked its shield out of the way. My sword makes it part-way through before stopping, having met its worthy match. I yank the blade out of its impromptu sheath and leap backwards, barely dodging the Paladins retaliatory slash. It jumps after me, forcing me on the defensive.

I block its blade, setting my feet as I wait for an opening in its onslaught. I deflect its sword upwards, and leap to the side as it tries to shield bash me with its tower shield. I leap around to its side, and spring forward, calling forth another strong slash upon its exposed armpit, just barely managing to pierce it before needing to retreat again. The Paladin looks at me warily, now even more on guard than it had been previously. I raise my shield and wait.

It charges at me, its shield raised and its charge indomitable. I wait, calmly observing, before finally leaping forward slightly out of the way of its charge, my arm preparing to swing.

 _Mighty, SWING!_ I think furiously as my blade surges through the air, the force making my arm wobble slightly, as my blade passes through the Paladins neck. I land quietly, and swiftly turn about to face my opponent, not taking any chances. The Paladin drops its blade and the tower shield falls, before finally, its head wobbles from its neck, the summon disintegrating into bright white light particles.

I look at where it stood in shock.

 _Finally. Finally… FINALLY! I BEAT IT! I BEAT IT, I BEAT IT!_ I think in shock, the thought roaring through my head. I let out a loud and disbelieving shout of joy.

 **Ma, Jaune, shut up. We're in here too. Anyways, your reward.**

 **Quest: Defeat the Paladin!**

 **Objectives:**

 **Force Paladin to Surrender**

 **Rewards:**

 **Enchanted Silver Breastplate, Enchanted Silver Greaves, Enchanted Silver Vambraces, Enchanted Silver Belt.**

 **Side Objectives:**

 **Use only Mighty Swing and Piercing Thrust**

 **Kill the Paladin**

 **Side Rewards:**

 **Enchanted Silver Helm, Enchanted Silver Gloves, Enchanted Silver Boots, Enchanted Silver Pauldrons. Enchanting Kit. Paladin Class Unlocked!**

I look at the Quest, not believing it for multiple seconds.

 _ **Young Jaune. This is the full set of Enchanted Silver Armor. Take it from your inventory and put it on. It will likely fit better than your fathers breastplate.**_ Ainz says to me, making me stand straighter. _**It is your reward. Claim it with honor, and go home as a champion!**_

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding. I reach into my inventory with both hands, grabbing onto a piece of metal, and slowly bring it out into the light. I look at the breastplate in my hands in awe.

It's made of the purest glimmering silver, decorated with dimly glowing white runes on the inside, the outside depicting the face of a dragon made from light gold lines. I open up my character menu, putting it in the armor spot where my fathers armor was. I hesitate a moment, remembering this is one of the last tributes I have of him.

 _I've had this since I began training. I've grown, for sure, but even so. This armor has been with me for all of it, and it's even been repaired multiple times over the months. How can I just leave it like this?_ I think, lowering my arms.

 **Jaune, this is not throwing away the last vestiges of your father. His armor defended him while he lived. He gave it its legacy. It needs nothing else. Crocea Mors and Crocea Luna were always meant for you, from the day of your birth. I would know, I've always been listening. Point being, you are meant to wield your father's sword, not wear his armor.** The Game informs me. **Let his memory rest. Carve your own path. Neither he nor your mother would want you to hold yourself back for their sakes. Take up the armor, Jaune. Become the Huntsman that you were always intended to be.**

I look at the screen in front of me, reading it over again before its replaced again by my character screen. I look at the picture of myself, at the armor on my arms and chest, before lifting my arms again. I slide the breastplate into the slot, and watch as the armor on my body changes. I look down at it ot find it feels, better. Much better than my fathers armor had. I rotate my torso a few times to find I can move much more freely than before. I smile slightly at that, before looking at my inventory.

I look at the white breastplate in it, and close my eyes for a moment.

 _I'll make you proud, dad._ I promise silently, before opening my eyes and picking out all the Enchanted Silver Armor and dragging it into place, except for the helmet. I look at the armor as it phases into existence on me. All of it is of the same gleaming silver that the breastplate is, with gold lines designing parts of a dragon on top of it. Claws for hands, claws for feet, and all the designs in between. Closer inspection reveals the same glowing runes on the underside of each of them as well.

I sheath Crocea Mors and attack it to my belt, which for metal, is surprisingly flexible.

"You look good," I hear Ella comment behind me. I turn to see her smirking insufferably. "It only took you, what, nine months to complete that simple Quest?" She snorts airily. "You've a long way to go, kid. Don't get cocky with yourself, thinking that you're invulnerable. You're only a level forty-two. You've got two levels left for your Knight Class before you can upgrade to Paladin, even if you've unlocked it. Not to mention, six more levels for Monk class till you reach the level you want. Don't forget that the strongest warriors can fall, if they grow docile with their growth." I nod to her, bowing slightly at the waist.

"I thank you for helping me train. Please pass my gratitude onto Sebas and Albedo, as well," I say as I flash a grin. "I need to head home to my sisters. Oum knows what they've gotten up to in the time I've been gone. Need to make sure they haven't burned the place down by this point." Ella nods as her smirk falls. She walks over to me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Be careful, Jaune. We don't know what's out there anymore, so keep your wits about you," she orders as she releases me. I nod in reply, smiling again. She turns away from me, extending her hand. **"Gate."** A swirling black portal opens ahead of us, drawing my gaze. "I have it opened to the coordinates that Lord Ainz supplied, it should be the last place that you were outside of the Tomb. Good luck."

I nod, striding swiftly to the gate.

 _To think, even though I wanted to go all the way to Paladin back only a few months ago, now I'm too homesick to even entertain the notion,_ I think nostalgically as I pass through the black gate. _Who knew that I would change so much._ I squint and shield my eyes as the bright sunlight seeps through the trees now above me. I look around, hearing the chirping birds and small sounds of nature for the first time in months. I smile as I take it all in, the grin barely being condensed to it. _My Oum, it was too stuffy in there. I couldn't have kept bearing it for much longer._

 _Where am I, and where is home?_ I think after a few minutes of soaking it all in.

 **Jeez, impatient much? Just open your map, lazy boy. I'm sure that you can find your way home from there.** The Game retorts scathingly. I shake my head and sigh, opening the map and looking at it for a few seconds.

I zoom out and see several places pinned already.

 _Home, Nazarick, the Emerald Forest South, and Vale._ I think as I study it. Most of it is grayed out and featureless, but that is likely because I've never even been there. I raise my hand and poke the pin over my home, and it changes to a bright red color from its former blue. I close my map and see an arrow in my upper left vision, pointing directly to my left. _Handy._

I start jogging, seeing as I have more than enough stamina for the seven mile run. I begin humming the tune of 'This Will Be the Day' by Jeff Williams, my armor pieces gliding over each other without a sound. One of the runes, no doubt.

 **Enemies Detected: Numbers, 9.**

I glance about, wondering who will be the challengers. I pull my helm from my inventory as I jog, putting it on. It covers all of my face, leaving no way to see in, but allowing me to see out unimpeded.

 _Oum, the stuff from this Semblance and Nazarick are so useful,_ I think as I scan the area around me. I spot several black splotches running alongside me, and grab the blade at my side. I run another moment, before a Beowolf jumps out at me with a roar. I easily duck beneath it and draw Crocea Mors, slicing it in half as though it was paper. _Creatures I once had difficulty killing with only one, now seem so slow and weak. No doubt my evolution of strength over time._

I continue running, pulling Crocea Luna up onto my free arm, expanding it. Three Beowolves launch themselves at me, and I slam one in the face with my shield, crushing its head, my sword going in for two quick stabs through their skulls. The bodies disintegrate as two more leap out behind me, running up to me. I plant my feet and slide to a halt, before launching myself at them, cutting their heads off before they have a moment to react.

Another leaps at me from the treeline, mouth primed to snap at me. I condense my shield before jamming it into its open mouth, expanding it before it can try and back off. The way its jaws explode away from each other is so disgustingly beautiful.

One of the final two charges at me from behind, prompting me to throw my sword at its face, piercing it easily. I shake my head at the lack of challenge I found with these Grimm.

 _Well, Beowolves are one of the weaker species. Their packs are their only true strength, and even that is limited,_ I think as I retrieve Crocea Mors. _I killed eight, so I assume the last one either ran off, or-._

I turn and intercept the attack with my shield, shoving the Alpha Beowolf backwards, surging forward to slice its arm off at the elbow. It roars in pain as it tries to hit me with its other paw, before I swiftly slash through its shoulder, cutting off its only remaining forelimb. It the proceeds to bite at me, allowing me to stab its head from beneath, killing it instantly.

I smirk beneath my helmet, sheathing my sword and putting it onto my belt, before paying attention to my navigation arrow once more. I turn to my right and continue running as though I'd never stopped, still humming.

I manage to make it through the song and 'Red Like Roses' in both parts before I finally reach the edge of the forest, and my destination. I stop and look at it, seeing the large house before me, feeling tears welling in my covered eyes as a smile broke my face.

"I'm home, everyone," I whisper as I begin walking forward, scanning the house and the landscape surrounding it. As I grow closer, my eyes narrow as I note that all the lights are absent, as though the house was completely empty.

 _Usually, at least one of us always stays home, if only to keep it in order. Where are they?_ I wonder, my left hand resting on my sword. I walk around the building until I hear the crash of metal on metal, with grunts accompanying them. I increase my pace to a full on sprint around the corners until I reach the area that I'd been unable to see before. I stop as I take in the going-ons.

Rosemary and Olivia fighting like madwomen as Bianca looked on in concern, biting her lip, but not intervening. I watch as Rosemary thrusts her hunting dagger at Olivia, only for the older girl to twirl her spear, knocking my twin away.

 _What's this about?_ I wonder as I hide just behind a bush near where the two were fighting each other. _Are they training or something?_

"Take it back," I hear Rose whisper, fury lacing her every word. Olivia merely scoffs in reply.

"Face the facts, he's been out of contact for over three weeks. That's as good as dead in the field. He told us he was getting stronger, but never said how and never said where he was getting trained." Olivia retorts coldly, voice mercilessly carrying over the air, prompting a furious screech from Rosemary, as the sound of their weapons clashing resounds.

 _He? Is this about me? Has it really been three weeks since I last contacted them?_ I wonder, my brow furrowing as I frown underneath my helmet as the fight continues.

"That's not a reason to call him trash, you bitch!" Rose shouts angrily. "He's tried just as hard as any of us-!"

"AND WAS ALWAYS FOUND WANTING!" Olivia shouts back, overriding Rose's voice, prompting me to look around my bush. I watch as Olivia begins speeding up, slamming into Rose's defences. "JAUNE WASN'T READY FOR COMBAT, AND HE NEVER WILL BE! HE'S PROBABLY DEAD BY THIS POINT, SO THAT MAKES HIM TRASH AND A STAIN ON THE ARC LEGACY!"

Rose doesn't reply as she tries to not get completely overwhelmed by Olivia's assault, while Bianca clenches her hands, looking over the fight with worried eyes.

 _Damn, Olivia. That, really hurts._ I think, pulling back behind my bush. _I know that I used to be terrible at fighting, maybe I still am, but-._

 _ **ENOUGH!**_ Ainz yells in my head, making me flinch slightly. _**You are a warrior worthy of your name, Jaune. Do not let your sister tell you differently, show her that you are completely capable of standing with or against her! Show her what your resolve has come to bear!**_

 _Right…_ I think, taking Crocea Mors off of my belt and putting into my inventory, removing a plain iron sword from Nazarick. _I can't allow them to identify me yet, but I need a sword. It's time, time that I show them what I'm made of!_

I step out from behind the bush to see Olivia closing for a jab on Rose, my twin left defenseless as Olivia had sent her dagger flying. I dart forward, deflecting the attack upwards, before landing a heavy kick to Olivia's midsection.

Olivia lets out a shout of surprise as she is sent flying off of her feet, tumbling backwards. I turn and look at Rose, who looks at my armored form with fear and suspicion. I reach up and grab the base of my helm, pulling it up so she can see my face, and give her a comforting smile.

She stills, her face filled with absolute disbelief.

"Leave this to me, okay Rose?" I say, pulling my helm back down and turning to face Olivia. I watch as she staggers up, the hit obviously containing more than she'd bargained for. I tilt my head as if in question, before darting forward, my sword lancing out towards her.

She quickly recovers and manages to deflect it to the side with a quick spin of her spear, trying to turn her deflection into an attack, sending the blade of her spear at my head. I bat it away with the back of my hand, before grabbing the shaft of her weapon and tearing it from her grasp, quickly flipping it around to cross it along with my blade at her neck.

She stills as the blades rest on her skin, her Aura preventing them from sinking in.

"Still think that I can't fight, Olivia?" I ask I remove the weapons, stabbing hers into the ground before removing my helm. I meet her shocked eyes as she pales, looking as though she saw a ghost. "Because if I can't, then you definitely can't." She staggers forward uncertainly, eyes still wide and face pale as her hand rises hesitantly. She touches my cheek, a small gasp leaving her lips before some color returns to her cheeks, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, refusing to fall.

"You, you," she growls, hair falling to cover her eyes a moment. "YOU IDIOT!" I have no time to react as her fist meets my face, sending me to the ground, stunned. She grabs me by the collar of my shirt, shaking me back and forth as she straddles my waist. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE WERE! WE WERE TERRIFIED THAT YOU'D NEVER COME BACK, IDIOT! WHAT WOULD I-WE HAVE DONE IF YOU'D NEVER COME HOME?!" She shouts furiously. I regain my senses and look at her in shock, not moving my arms, having lost both my sword and helm with the blow to my face.

I watch as tears track down her face, sobs rising from her throat and barely leaving her mouth as she shows more emotion than I'd ever seen before.

 **It's like I said, you're a sister hurting teenager. Olivia put you down because she never wanted you to fight, Jaune. Now, she could've done it more kindly, so shame on her for that, but she does love you. Now, heed my advice and give her a hug before you get punched yet again, kay?** The Game orders.

I hesitantly bring my arms up, wrapping them around her back as she stiffens, before I pull her down to me.

"I'm home, Olivia. I'm home," I reply, saying the only thing that comes to mind as tears leak from my own eyes. She slowly relaxes into me, leaning her head on my breastplate, still sobbing silently. I look around till I see Rose and Bianca, looking onto the sight with their own tears on their faces, Rose not being anywhere near quiet about the relief pouring from her. "Come here, both of you."

In an instant, Rose joins the pile-hug, squeezing me and Olivia with a death grip, followed moments later by Bianca, who hugs us all as gently as she can, just like she always has.

 _I'm home._ I think as I smile. Then three pairs of blue eyes lock onto my face.

"So, Jaune," Rose begins.

"We were worried all this time about you," Olivia continues, causing me to raise a calm but concerned mask.

"And you know how your sisters are, we can't get anything done while worrying about our brother," Bianca says, smiling slightly, causing my worry to skyrocket.

"So, we were just wondering," Olivia resumes.

"How good are you still at housework, because we've got lots for you?" Rose asks, locking eyes with me to let me know I'm not getting out of this. I gulp.

"Um, I haven't had to do any for nearly nine months?" I say, my voice breaking as their eyes shadow.

"Now that you mention it, we've wasted nine months worrying over you," Olivia comments, killing intent beginning to lace the air. She grabs my collar again and hoists me up. "So you'd better make the best food ever to make up to us. If we don't feel like Oum-damn queens, you'll not be happy."

I let out a pathetic whimper as their eyes sparkle dangerously from the shadows of their faces.

"I don't suppose you still feel shame, do you?" I ask pathetically, grinning falsely. "Because you've been sitting on me rather provacatively." Silence reigns for several seconds as my twin and eldest sister make scarce, fear dancing in their eyes as Olivia goes completely still.

 _Oh, shi-!_ I think before Olivia is above me, leg pulled back to give me a perfect kick, her foot meeting my face hard enough to send me flying.

 **-2899 AP!**

"BAKA HENTAI!" She screeches as my body pathetically flounders through the air.

 **Damn… Didn't think she'd go that far… Welcome home?**

I land in a groaning heap, my vision going hazy before finally going completely dark.

* * *

Well, that was fun… I don't like training montages. Too boring for me. Anyhow, next chapter will be him catching up with his family(probably) and some various other events. Later.

 **Translation:** Baka Hentai-Idiot pervert(I could be wrong, so somebody let me know if I am)

And here are Jaune's current Stats and Level

 **Name: Jaune Arc**

 **Overall Level: 42**

 **Race: Human Level 15**

 **Race EXP: Capped**

 **Health +700**

 **Aura +1750(Arc Perk)**

 **Str, Agi, End, Def +70**

 **Res +56**

 **Wis, Int +42**

 **Extra Pnts +140**

 **Class: Squire Level 15**

 **Class EXP: Capped**

 **30% Speed increase with swords**

 **25% Defense increase with swords**

 **30% Defense increase with shields**

 **Class: Knight Level 8**

 **Class EXP: 23/100**

 **+32% to Armor Defense**

 **+16% to Shield Defense**

 **-11 to Sword Skill Costs**

 **Class: Monk Level 4**

 **Class EXP: 59/100**

 **+19% to Unarmed Attack**

 **+19% to Unarmed Defense**

 **+14% to Unarmed Speed**

 **HP: 1,300**

 **AP: 3,250**

 **STR:144**

 **AGI: 155**

 **END: 168**

 **INT: 65**

 **WIS: 70**

 **LCK: 23**

 **DEF: 105**

 **RES: 90**

 **Extra Points: 140**


	3. Chapter 3

****A/N:**** Yo.

Information time! If you don't care, just skip to the beginning of the chapter.

This is a crossover of RWBY, Overlord(the anime), The Gamer of Manhwa/Korean Comics, and Overlord(the game). Pieces of it are not perfect in anybody's sense, and none of it is going to be perfectly logical. That being said, I've no clue how the YGGDRASIL gaming system works(for anyone wondering why the Game will be all over the place), because, simply put, __this isn't it.__ I don't need to know because it is not the same. It's relevant for classes and such, but realistically, the Gamer Semblance Jaune has is an amalgamation of that, the actual Gamer system from the comics, and my own understanding. This fanfiction isn't meant to be perfect, or really even serious. It's meant to be kinda fun and amusing at times.(all anime happenings will happen) I may have failed to mention it, but Jaune's Gamer levels up by experience he would have in the real world, because having him be a complete game character would be somewhat ridiculous, seeing as he's not.

And character's will be OOC, somewhat. That's a natural thing because A), they are over a thousand years removed from the character's we all know/knew, and B)because either they or their masters died.(there's also Ella. She's an OC…) C)I'm not the original writer(much as I wish I was that epic) of Overlord(either) or RWBY. I can only go off of my opinions on how they react by extrapolating from prior reactions in the show and then I have to factor in the time lapse, any talks they may have had with others(in Jaune's case) and changes in their character.(also Jaune, as in stats)

Rant done. But a small message.

I'm writing this because it was a challenge, and really, because I'm practicing writing. There will be discrepancies. I'm not changing them, because that is how I believe either the character's will react or I believe that an event would happen.

However, if somebody wants to donate events to plot and I can fit it in(and I approve) I'm not against the idea of writing other people's ideas.(that's what this fic even is)(people will be credited if they want to and are accepted)

But onto the STORY!

* * *

 ** **Chapter 3: Family Business****

* * *

 ** **Two Weeks Later, Jaune's POV.****

I yawn as I stretch across my bed, blearily opening my eyes.

 ** **Skill, Housekeeping, has been developed!****

 ** **Skill, Housekeeping, prior data found, calculating…****

 ** **Skill, Housekeeping is now Level MAX!****

 ** **Housekeeping, Level MAX.****

 ** **Dishes, sweeping, cleaning, dusting, cooking, whatever it is, you are the ultimate for all that is housekeeping! +500% Effectiveness to all cleaning jobs. +1000% Duration of Cleanliness. +500% Quality of Food. +300% Efficiency in Completing housekeeping activities. +200% Overall Speed of task completion. +750% Chance of Women(or men, if they swing that way) being attracted to you because of your Housekeeping skills!****

 ** **Gained Title: Master Househusband from Skill: Housekeeping Mastery.****

I stare at the damning message above my head from where I lie in my bed, my eye twitching, very, very slightly.

 _ _DAMMIT GAME!__ I shout at it, prompting Ainz to chuckle in amusement. __I don't want to be hounded by people for my house skills, I'd be more than happy not having this skill!__

 ** **Well, at least you'll probably be able to get any girl you want.**** The Game replies, an image of shoulders shrugging nonchalantly coming to mind from its tone. ****Besides, now you can clean practically anything, and would you really want to sacrifice the Gamer so that your attraction level is merely your own?****

I pause for several moments, thinking about it.

 _ _Losing the Game would be terrible. My own progress might regress into what I was before. No, I cannot allow that, never!__ I think in horror. __Fine, I'll keep the skill, dammit… I'm not happy, though!__

 ** **Hey, now you have another skill. Though I find it amusing it took cleaning your entire damn house before it happened. Your sister's really know how to make a mess, especially that one in the kitchen. That was impressive beyond belief.**** It comments.

I give a nod as I slowly rise from my bed, working out the slight aches in my muscles, before shedding my bunny onesie. Comfortable though it is, it is not good for mornings, not after what Jade, the adorable little devil, did after I wore it the first morning I was home.

She made me wear it everywhere! I was just the big bunny Onii-chan to her for an entire day, and my other sisters just tossed me to the little wolf, it was humiliating… I was laughed out of a first year Signal classroom… My sisters will never let me live it down…

I sigh as I drag on a pair of gray sweatpants and a sleeveless black shirt, blearily rubbing my eyes as I look out the window.

 _ _Sky's beginning to brighten up. Should hurry and make sure that breakfast is ready for them when they get up.__ I think as I walk to my door, opening it to an empty hall. I walk through it before hitting the main staircase, hopping the banister and landing lightly, before walking into the kitchen door directly behind me. I sigh and crack my knuckles.

 _ _Let's get it over with,__ I think, swiftly heading to the stove and turning it on.

I walk around the kitchen at light speed, chopping various fruits, cracking eggs, mixing batters, making sure bacon and sausage are cooked to perfection, and preparing breakfast to the best of my ability.

A half an hour after I begin, Jade and Violet walk in, Jade holding onto Violet's hand while the older girl dragged the practical zombie over to a chair next to the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Wash your hands, speak what you want, get what you want," I say, almost automatically as I grab two plates from a cabinet and place them next to the veritable feast I have prepared. "And of course, don't forget to be polite."

"Three pancakes, butter cream pancake syrup, three slices of bacon, two eggs, six strawberries, a banana, and an apple for the both of us, please," Violet requests as the sound of running water reaches my ears. I grunt in affirmation before cracking four eggs, two to a pan, and swiftly whipping them up, before assembling the requested plates and sliding them down the island to rest directly in front of the freshly seated red haired youngest Arcs.

"Pancakes with butter cream syrup, three pieces of bacon, two scrambled eggs, six strawberries, banana, and an apple for your consumption, my little sisters," I say, as I finally turn off burners on the stove. "Do let me know how it tastes." I glance at my sisters, meeting Violet's bright green eyes and Jade's light blue as they nod, though I doubt Jade even heard me, exhausted as she is.

I chuckle at the thought as I leave the kitchen, leaving the rest of my sisters to eat the food as they funnel in.

 _ _Jade is no morning person. I wonder if she got that from watching Bianca and Karen?__ I think as I head back to my room, dodging my twin as she exits her room with a yawn, calling a greeting. She replies with a blank stare that follows me all the way to my room. __And then there is Rose. Sometimes I wonder what goes on in her head.__

I shake my head before opening my inventory, donning my armor and the clothes to go under it.

I open my window quietly, looking at the sun as it creeps over the tops of the trees.

"Doubt I'll ever get tired of seeing the sun rise. What do you think, Ainz?" I ask the elder being.

 _ ** _ **It certainly is nice to see the sun and stars again. Better still to be able to experience a full range of emotions, considering I was unable while I was still alive, as I've told you before.**_**_ He replies calmly, a sense of peace emanating from him. _**_**It is enjoyable, to have the ability to feel happy to see the sun.**_**_ I let out a happy grin before jumping out of my window, landing heavily on the ground before taking Crocea Mors and Luna out of my inventory.

I walk several yards away from the house before stopping a moment to think.

 _ _My stats improve over time with training and conditioning, as well as with race level, but even then it is a slow process. Is it possible to up my everyday activity to perhaps speed along the natural improvements?__ I ask the Game.

 ** **Yep. Like for instance, putting heavy weights on all your limbs. Ultimately, your strength and agility would improve as you went along.**** The Game replies, gaining a thank you.

 _ _So then, if I were to exchange my armor with something bulkier, or perhaps add enchanted weights to my own body, I could theoretically improve even faster than normal?__

 ** **Yep.****

 _ _Why didn't I think of this sooner?__

 _ ** _ **You were focused upon gaining levels and improving your ability with the blade. You are beyond phenomenal by Huntsmen standards at this point, so I believe your time was well spent,**_**_ Ainz interjects.

 ** **Mainly because as he developed his body and mind, you managed to imprint much blade skill on him from your 'Perfect Warrior' skill, Ainz. don't go selling yourself short.**** The Game retorts.

 _ _Which also means that increased stats and development of my body will allow you to impart even more knowledge and strength to me. Thanks, both of you,__ I reply before taking a simple horse stance.

 ** **Kein Probleme!****

 _ ** _ **You are my host, and my only link to a new life, now. You have the right to my knowledge, as you have granted me that which I thought would be forever beyond my reach.**_**_ Ainz replies, a pleased feeling bleeding through our mental link. _**_**So I thank you for that.**_**_

I let a grin run across my face, unnoticeable beneath my helmet, before running through the motions of my swordplay. I practice for several hours, ignoring the various sounds of delight that my cooking inspires, until the sun has risen much higher into the sky, when my breath comes just a small bit more heavily, and all the skill I have has been practised.

I turn to see Olivia and our little sister Aqua watching me, the small girl, while completely sick and hacking up a storm for the past several days, loves to watch me fight. I shake my head in amusement and walk over to them, sheathing Crocea Mors in Crocea Luna and attaching it to my belt. I reach up and take my helmet off, meeting Olivia's eyes for a quick smile before reaching over to Aqua's head, messing her light blond hair up so that it falls in front of her emerald eyes, while she half-heartedly tries to push my hand away.

"Shouldn't you be in bed, Aqua?" I chastise gently, as I chuckle. She pouts at me as I finish messing with her hair and retract my hand, avoiding my gaze guiltily. "Because I know that Bianca was dead set against you going to school today due to you being sick, and I know she'd want you in bed as much as possible." She combs her hands through her hair as she avoids answering.

"Leave her be, Jaune, I said she could watch after Bianca and the others left," Olivia finally intercedes on Aqua's behalf. I look at the redhead who bears my light glare with a mere shrug. "I'm going to be taking care of her just fine, alright? She'll be a perfectly healthy kid in a day or two, 'kay?" I sigh and look at Aqua again.

"Back to bed, make sure you eat at least one an apple, got it?" I order, getting a speedy nod from the thirteen year old. "Seriously, missing a few days of your first year of Signal, my word."

"It isn't my fault I came down with a bug," Aqua objects as she heads back in, slouching. I roll my eyes at her antics and turn to Olivia.

"I'm heading into Vale to get a Hunter's license. Don't wait up for me, alright?" I tell her, making her frown, opening her mouth as if to object, before she nods jerkily, eyes showing her worry. "I'll be fine as a Huntsman, sis. I can take you, Rose, and Karen at this point. I might even be able to one up Bianca. I think that I'll be fine against a few Grimm." She hesitates, but nods anyways, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Don't ever let us get a black letter home, got it?" She orders, her stern voice slightly shaky.

I merely nod, seeing as I don't trust my voice. She lets me go after several seconds, and looks into my eyes, before nodding and stepping back. I toss her a confidant smirk before donning my helm and turning towards Vale.

I take off at a fast jogging pace.

 _ _Given my speed, and the distance to Vale proper, I think it'll take roughly four hours to reach my destination, at which point I will have to register for a Hunter's exam, which will include multiple topics I have to be knowledgeable in.__ I think, losing myself in the drone of the trees.

* * *

 ** **Four and a half hours later…****

I calmly sit in the empty room, waiting for the desk lady to get back to me on when my exam will be. Not that she was afraid of taking her sweet old time, since I'd been sitting here for over twenty minutes since I'd filled the sheet out.

After another twenty minutes of waiting, the lady called my name, prompting me to stand and finally go towards her.

"You are Jaune Arc, yes?" She asks, skepticism in her voice, to which I give a nod. "The same Jaune Arc that was declared missing nearly eight months ago, and the same that was rejected from Signal Academy over twenty three times?" Her dubious eyes roam over me and my armor. I give her another nod. "And you expect me to believe that you can even begin the Hunter's Exam? If you aren't even able to do kid's level stuff, you certainly cannot do actual Huntsmen work."

"I don't expect you to take me at my word alone," I reply, having expected this, to a degree. "I expect you to give me a fair chance at your exam and let the results speak for themselves." She stares at me, before shaking her head.

"Examiner is in the third door on the left, down the hall behind me," she eventually says, dismissing me completely.

I narrow my eyes at her before speaking thanks and moving on my way.

 _ _Rude. Well deserved on my part, but rude.__ I think crossly, receiving affirmation from both residents in my head as I arrive in front of the door I'm supposed to be in. I knock, receiving a loud 'ENTER' from the occupant, a female by the sounds of it.

I enter the room to be hit the most pungent and distasteful smell I've ever smelled.

It smells like Olivia after she's come back from a really badly failed mission, now that I think about it.

 _ _Alcohol… Lots and lots of alcohol,__ I think as I look around, seeing the ridiculous amount of discarded bottles, leading up to a woman in a red jacket and pants who looks incredibly drunk. __Great.__

"Wazzit- damn, de lihe-," she murmurs as the light from the hallway falls on her.

"I'm here for the Hunters exam," I reply politely, ignoring her lack of sobriety. She look at me, focused amber chips beating into my own eyes.

"Damn, a Hunter applicant," she mutters, her voice sounding much more sober as her Aura flairs and cycles rapidly throughout her body. Several moments later, she stands up and begins walking to a door behind her I hadn't noticed earlier. "Come on, let's take care of this."

I follow her, slightly confused at her easy gait despite the amounts of alcohol that __must__ be in her. She only looks like she's five three, where did she puts the eight bottles of alcohol on the floor without even being affected too badly?

I walk through the door after her and find myself in a small arena type setting. I glance about only for my well honed instincts cause me to snatch my sword off of my belt, still in its sheath, expanding Crocea Luna even with Mors still inside it, swiftly blocking a hail of bullets.

In the moment where my head is concealed, I grab my helmet from my inventory and gently put it on.

"First test, reflexes, looking good, kid," she states, sounding bored. "Next, strength." I draw Crocea Mors and ready myself, seeing her flying at me at considerable speed with a greatsword double her height in one hand, her face mostly blank with a slight furrow on her brow.

I duck beneath her lazy swing, bashing the sword upwards with my shield as I jab at her with my sword, scoring a direct hit that glances off of her Aura, though her grimace reveals her slight pain from the blow. She jumps back, signalling a pause with her hand.

"Speed and strength are good, senses appear good, though I can't tell if you can see. Now, just to test for direct combat, let's get cracking," she says, now smirking, before leaping forward, leaving her previous speed succinctly in the dust. I meet her sword with Crocea Mors, getting into a deadly dance of steel and strength, pushing beyond anything I've had to do in the past before Nazarick.

It was boring.

Realistically, if I had to place this lady, she'd be around a level thirty. Skilled, and likely a Huntress of some repute, but nothing I'm not already used to, especially since I've faced the crafty skill of Ella and unwavering strength of Sebas. Truly, she just can't measure up. I wonder if she could be trained up in skill, though? Probably, but I doubt at my own level of development.

I deflect her blade upward with my own before slamming my shield into her chest, lifting her off of the ground with the force, before dropping Crocea Luna and grabbing onto her ankle, pulling her over my head and slamming her into the ground, her broadsword sent flying.

I let go of her and she springs up without a problem, dusting off her clothes without so much as a groan.

"Nice job, kid," she comments, moving to retrieve her weapon. "I think you can take on at least the level I'm at, so I'll grant you the badge. You'll have to work your way up on your own though." She picks up her broadsword before throwing it carelessly, the massive weapon stabbing into the wall next to the door. That explains how I didn't see it. "There are six levels of Hunters, E-class, D-class, C-class, B-class, A-class, and S-class. There is SS and SSS-class, however they are considered paragons of humanity, and all only exist in history." She tosses me a card, which I catch to find it a rather thick with so metal to it. I look at the surface of it, to see an A shown on it.

"E-class is for general poor excuses for Hunters that must act in large groups or Lower Academy students, such as Signal Academy." I look back to the woman, meeting her bright yellow eyes. "D-class is the upper echelons of the Hunter academies or less pathetic excuses of Hunters. Hunters attending Beacon or Shade are among this rank in most cases. C-class is general Huntsmen and Huntresses worthy of the title, who are capable of holding their own against most Grimm except Ancient solo.

"B-Class is a stronger Class than C, and usually also take anti-insurgency missions on top of Grimm. Two or three of them can take on Ancient Class Grimm. A-Class is capable of taking on armies of the Grimm, as well as Ancients on their own. They are often found solely combating insurgent and terrorist groups rather than Grimm, seeing as lowering the negativity levels of the world will lower the general danger levels."

I look at the card in my hand before looking at the woman before me.

"And you're an A-class Huntress?" I ask dubiously, wondering what such a lady is doing here. She nods, smirking.

"I am far from the strongest among A-class Hunters, honestly, I'm probably in the lowest ten, but I am indeed A-class. If you're wondering what I'm doing here, one of my friends, who works here, asked me to sacrifice some of my off time to cover for him," she replies, brushing some of her navy-blue hair out of her face. I nod in acceptance. It does make sense. Kinda.

"And what about S class?" I ask curiously. She sizes me up with her eyes, they having narrowed.

"S class is considered the best of the best, the ones who are said to be capable of facing multiple Ancient Grimm and come out ready to face an army," she replies calmly, turning to face the door. "However, in reality, they are only capable of facing the Ancient Grimm. Many an S-class Hunter has died by simple Beowolves after they fought well beyond their limits. The title goes to their heads, you see. You have the potential to be S class. But for now, I think you are just high A-class. Your strikes didn't even break my Aura or surpass my Semblance." She walks over to the door and opens it, facing me again. "Congratulations, A-Class Huntsman Jaune Arc. Missions will be delivered to your personal residence directly from either The Councils of the Kingdoms or the Headmasters of any Academy. Expect them to start in a few days. You are free to refuse them if you'd like, however, as you begin, I suggest you take what comes your way, kid."

"What about the written portion of the test? It was on the information packet, both a field and written test have to be taken before a Hunter can be licensed," I query, slightly confused, while the woman smirks back at me.

"You already took it. That form you filled out, personal information, some theoretical scenarios, legal information, how versed you are in law," she replies, brushing her coat off again. "You really need to brush up on your law, if the screech that Annette let out was any indication, but aside from that, I think you passed." I furrow my brow, opening my mouth to ask about the screech, when she holds up her hand. "Don't ask how I know. A-Class have ways, and the ways must be kept silent."

I nod with a slight frown and thank her, before exiting the room. I follow the path I'd taken beforehand to exit the building, and begin walking home after removing my helmet.

* * *

 ** **Cressida Navy****

I groan after the now A-Class Huntsman leaves, flopping in my chair as I pull my scroll from my inner jacket pocket, opening it.

 _ _13%.__

I stare at the damning number with tired eyes.

 _ _He's at least mid S-Class, if not High. I'm among the top three A-Class Hunters on Remnant, and he tossed me around like a child, and nearly destroyed my Aura in three strikes. Oum, I can't remember the last time it was so low,__ I think in respect and irritation, closing out the Aura Reader and opening my contacts, tiredly calling the last one. __It's incredibly humbling, that one so young could be quite so strong. He is a prodigy. Damn, He might even have the potential to become SS in the future.__

My thoughts are interrupted by the man on the other end picking up.

" _ _It has been quite some time since you've called, Cressida. How've you been?"__ He asks, clearly taking a sip of his coffee.

"No time for pleasantries Oz." I interrupt the man with a serious tone. "We've got another topic to discuss. There's a Hunter applicant who is of high note. Unbelievably high note."

" _ _Tell me everything,"__ he orders, having dropped his normal tone.

* * *

 ** **Jaune Arc****

 _ _Well, that went exceedingly well. I certainly hope that the missions I receive won't be too difficult, otherwise I might just break my promise to Olivia. Then again, I doubt that I will,__ I think as I walk the streets of Vale towards the aperture in the wall. From there, it shouldn't take very long to get home.

I continue walking for several more moments, reminiscing on how my sisters had all taken my return before a projectile slamming into me drags me out of my thoughts. I grunt as I fall on my back, surprise sprouting up from in me, amid a flurry of red specks flying around me.

 _ _Are these, rose petals?__ I wonder in slight confusion. A few seconds later, a cacophony of apologies rains on my ears as the person that was lying on my chest gets up, spewing out apologies one after the other, faster than I can keep up with. I stand up easily, looking at the black-haired girl with the ends of her hair dyed red. At least, I think it's dyed red.

I wait for several moments as the girl rambles on before a small amused smile graces my face.

 _ _She's like Violet when she messes up. Endless apologies, but at least I know how to deal with it,__ I think in slight exasperation as I study her. The cape on her back, the red and black long sleeved shirt and skirt which falls to her knees, a red box on her back, and a belt with several bullets on it. __Looks like she has a heavy weapon, though.__

 _ ** _ **This child is quite amusing, if somewhat helpless on her own,**_**_ Ainz comments, clearly amused. I chuckle inwardly as I raise a gauntleted hand placing it on top of her head and messing with her hair, getting her to cut off and whack my hand away, glaring balefully at me with her silver eyes.

I have to put in a concentrated effort to not glomp her from how adorable she looks.

 _ _She looks like a kitten trying to appear terrifying! It's so cute-no, stop it, Jaune, don't be like that, you don't even know her. Though, you are a Huntsman now, so maybe set a good example,__ I think swiftly, smiling at the girl.

"It's fine. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, so I can hardly call it your fault. I'm Jaune, short and sweet. What's your name?" I ask, flashing a charming smile. What, she's cute as hell!

 ** **You lolicon…**** The Game replies, disappointment flowing through it. ****Why are you a lolicon, of all things, you pervert…****

 _ _What the hell, Game?!__ I think in outrage, not letting my outward appearance change, though the girls cheeks redden quite a bit, and she stammers a reply… Well, attempts to…

"I-I-uh, I'm-I'm, um, y-you," she begins, very flustered. I tilt my head in slight confusion.

 _ _Has nobody ever tried talking to you or something?__ I wonder silently.

"Ruby!" A bright voice calls out. The girl, Ruby, I presume, whirls about as relief colors her face, searching for the caller as I watch the blonde approach us swiftly.

"Yang!" She yells out, running towards her sister, tackle hugging her, which must be a common occurrence, because she barely even gets moved by the slight girl. "I'msorryIdidn'tmeantoactivatemySemblanceitjusthappenedandIranintothisguyherewho-!"

The girl, Yang, covers her sisters mouth just as my ears start aching from listening and my head starts pounding from keeping up with the black and red clad girl.

"It's fine, just try to keep your Semblance from activating in populated areas, sis. You might run into somebody who's less sturdy than your shining knight here," she teases with a smirk, causing the smaller girl to grow incredibly flustered and splutter out denials with a cherry red face. I chuckle as I walk up to the two of them, extending a hand to my fellow blond.

"Name's Jaune, Jaune Arc." I say to her, getting a fierce grip on my hand in return which dragged several points of Aura out of me. "A pleasure to meet the both of you." She smirks at me as she retracts her hand, mischief in her eyes.

"Yang, and this is my little sister Ruby," she says, making me pause, mentally comparing the two, and failing to find a single iota of similarity, before she drags my attention back. "I hope that you aren't too, Yang-ry at my sister." I deadpan at the girl as her apparent sister groans, while the girl herself preens in pride.

 _ ** _ **That was awful… Never again, please,**_**_ Ainz comments in irritation.

 ** **BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That was fucking hilarious, dammit! Quality pun, 7/10!**** The Game crows(which is very confusing how it did that, since it's all letters).

 _ _Don't encourage her,__ I reply blithely.

"No," I reply in both her question and to her pun. "No puns. You're awful at them." She scowls at me, flipping her long blonde hair at me.

"Seconded," Ruby says swiftly, raising her right hand.

"You two just don't know quality humor," she replies somewhat snobbishly, though it's kind of obvious how she has to force it. I glance at her clothes, raising an eyebrow at the short-shorts and tube top.

 _ _That is barely covering anything, those boots of hers discounted. How can she even begin to stand it?__ I wonder idly as I study her.

 ** **Let's count, shall we? Very nice legs, toned abs, quite the pretty face, and very sumptuous boobs. Yes, I'd say she's fine,**** The Game replies to me, causing me to mentally scoff, but not reply.

"Anyways, I have to get home. My sisters will worry if I'm out to long, my status as a master househusband be damned," I comment as I give the now surprised girls a nod. "Ladies, if you'd excuse me."

I walk away from them, vanishing through the few people around before they can stop me. They seem nice but the entire time I spoke with them I felt uneasy.

 _ _I'm sure it's nothing terrible, but the two of them make me nervous. I wonder how far they'll go in the future,__ I think idly.

 _ ** _ **I know the type. They'll reach far into the reaches of human limitations, and push on the door of Heroes,**_**_ Ainz replies, voice full of remembrance. _**_**They'll be good benchmarks for the best that humanity will have in the future.**_**_

I grunt in acceptance as I focus further on my path. I've been out for five or so hours, so I'd best get home, if I don't want Olivia and Bianca to come down on my head. With this thought in mind, I pick up a jog, weaving in and out of the people. I put my helmet on the moment I exit the city wall proper, admiring the myriad greens of the Emerald Forest, enjoying the scent of nature and the encroaching quiet, the din of the city falling behind me.

I glance around as the silence finally dawns, wondering where all the birds and insects are. I draw my weapon out of my inventory, slotting the sheath on my belt, leaving a hand on the hilt of Crocea Mors as I run. I continually monitor my surroundings, keeping open for combat.

After nearly an hour of running, the sounds of nature return, and I allow myself to relax half an hour after that, though I leave my sword on my waist.

 _ _Wonder what that was about,__ I question as my eyes narrow behind my helmet.

 ** **We were being observed. I know not by whom, but we have been judged, and whoever did it, was not weak. I'd wager they're one of the few who could kick our collective asses at this point.**** The Game replies seriously, causing me to stiffen in shock.

 _ _I see,__ I answer, increasing my pace. If there is somebody who can defeat me at this point observing me, I can't afford to be away from my family. __At this pace, it should only be an hour and a half to get back home. Best to be speedy.__

* * *

Well, as I said before, this story is kinda haphazard. I'm not really great with human to human relations, but more of that next chapter.(really, I mean it this time…unless I don't…)

Peace.

-Lambda38


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hail, to all those of the internet and those who read my story! I, Lambda38, am here to deliver… Something… I'm not sure what, since I always write the Author's Notes before the actual chapters, but still! I have… Y'know, general ideas… Stop judging me…

Anyways, I'mma be writing, and I'm going to get this out, and yeah… It's a bit of a time-skip from the last chapter. So, yeah.

People are still giving me shit over my choices with the Gamer system… Just stop people, it's happening, it's done, please just be quiet…(the most recent one was polite, but it's so irritating…and I realize acknowledging it will likely make it worse, but still, it is what I do...) Anyways,

Onto the story!

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Keep it in the Family**

* * *

 **Jaune's POV, Two Months Later**

I slam my shield into the side of the head of the last Goliath charging the town I've been called out to. Great pay, great views, on occasion, just a massive number of Grimm. And, y'know, motion sickness making my life general hell. I really wish something could be done about that.

I pulse my Aura through my shield, using one of the few racial skills being max level human gives me.

 _Aura Explosion._

As I leveled my race, I grew in various Aura techniques. Aura Explosion was the first, one that funneled almost all of my Aura into a single blast in the beginning. I found that using Aura techniques tended to piss Ella off, as it didn't require much skill with a blade or other various weapons. So, she banned them during spars, though she allowed them while I was training with her summons.

As the name might imply, a burst of Aura ejected from my shield, practically sending the massive Grimm flying. It is so much fun doing that. And since I leveled it to max level as a skill, it only costs a hundred Aura… So I can do it about thirty times before giving out.

I watch as the beast falls, already turning into smoke. It surprised me just how strong I was in comparison to beast's I once considered the top dogs on the planet. Really, Goliath's aren't hard to kill, if you know how to do it. A couple stabs to the side of the head, weaken the armor there, then a small Aura Explosion, shatter the brain behind the skull. Simple.

Seriously, a murder of Nevermore is more work. I have so much trouble with the little blights.

I land on the ground, standing ready to fight as I look around, checking for any remaining Grimm. I let out a hum as I realize that I'm already done.

 _Well, that wasn't too hard,_ I think calmly, sheathing my blade. _Just about a couple dozen Nevermore, at least twenty Beowolves, four Goliaths, and a lot of Creeps. Not too bad._ _And it only took a few hours!_ I take off with a small spring in my step as I walk back towards the town I was defending, though the walls still look solid, so if any got past me in my preemptive strike against the horde, than the guards probably were able to take care of it.

 **Jaune, I am happy you think you're fine, but perhaps take a look at your Aura levels?** The Game suggests, deadpan. **You might be a tad less happy with yourself then.**

I call out status and look directly at my Aura.

 **AP: 72 2.22%**

I blanche at the numbers in front of my face.

I've gotten much stronger, faster, and smarter during the time I've been home and doing missions, mostly because I asked Bianca to help me train.

She agreed, demanding that I link up my Aura levels to a computer at home, which constantly tracks my Aura levels via my Scroll in return. Then she promised that if it fell beneath twenty percent, the level at which a tourney duel would be called, that she'd make my training absolute hell.

Well, I'm glad nobody can see my sweaty, pale face, under my helmet. Maybe I can bribe her with food? Like, mountains of food? Maybe chocolate? Ice cream? Ice cream will probably work best… Maybe?

* * *

 **Several Days Later, Shortly after Jaune's triumphant return**

I collapse onto my bed, barely having gotten out of my sweaty pants and into a clean pair and white v-neck shirt before the exhaustion catches me.

 _I know Bi is worried for me, but hell, she is so brutal to me,_ I think in misery, my body aching all over from Bianca's impromptu training session. She did not take my falling Aura well, even ignoring the ice cream I bought for her, and put me through the worst hell she has yet, seeing as I'd fallen the furthest I ever have. It has reminded me of the fact I learned very well very early on.

My eldest sister can absolutely trounce my well muscled ass. And often, too, with an godforsaken giggle and her damn umbrella. She's starting to feel a tiny bit of strain from keeping up with me, but she was furious just then, so I doubt she would even notice if she needed to get a surgery to replace a limb… She is good with ignoring pain, as well, not that she ever gets hit. And then there was the training session itself.

 _Seriously, who on earth makes you run eighty miles around Vale with six different Grimm on your back, all while hitting you everywhere she can to make sure you keep running? Who the hell does that? And without any armor or shirt for that matter? While also making sure that you don't dare to actually injure the beast's,_ I think as my neck cracks with my minor shifting of it, causing me to let out a groan of pure pleasure. _Still, it does wonders for my endurance, with carrying them for so long, my Aura, considering I need to use it sparingly under constant attacks, and my reflexes, with making sure the beast's stay as far from my face as possible…_ I let out a groan as my bed bows slightly, a chuckle reaching my ears, prompting me to try and look at the one who joined me, only for my neck to steadfastly refuse my orders.

"You look like you've been through hell, Jaune," my twin says, sounding amused. "But it's your fault, you worried Bianca more than any of us, even me. It makes sense she is taking it out on you." I feel her hands on my back, and have to bite back a moan as she starts massaging my muscles, though I can't help but feel that something is wrong. We haven't spoken more than a few sentences in weeks, and she hasn't really approached me at all. Why now? "Then again, I'm sure Olivia would try worse if she could. Though she I think is closer to forgiving you than big sis, especially with you making all her favourite foods when you're home." She works away at my muscles, my head descending into a haze as the feeling continues, barely keeping from letting my body answer as it really, really wants to. "Then little baby Jade is still angry at you, though more out of habit than you leaving. I'm fairly certain Aqua is just happy you're home, though she's always been the forgiving one, alongside you. Fairly certain Violet and Karen are training as hard as they can, even letting Olivia teach them as roughly as possible just to catch you and give you the thrashing of the century before permanently putting you under house arrest."

"And yourself, Rose?" I ask, my voice half query and half groan of enjoyment, managing to turn my head to look at her. Her blue eyes lock onto mine and she smirks at me, one so brittle, it makes me worry, before hitting my back just right to send a major moment of pain through my mind, forcing me to yelp, though I feel much better after it as most of my back relaxes.

"I'm irritated that in less than a year, you managed to go from the twin I knew and loved, to a man who now wants nothing to do with us," she says, a dark scowl now on her face as she removes her hands. I frown as my eyebrows furrow in concern, sitting up.

"Rose, I'm not changed from how I was-," I begin, before her eyes light up in anger.

"No? So you're still the brother who was desperate to be a hero? You're still the brother who was too weak to reach his goal? You're the same brother who read stories to Jade and Violet?" She snarls, jabbing a finger into my chest, though I barely feel it as confusion swings through my head, as her eyes are hidden behind her bangs. "The same boy who would go into Bianca's or Olivia's room to hold them when their nightmare's caused them to awake in a panic? The same one who'd hold us all when we cried, when we needed you there?" She hits my chest with both of her fists over and over, as my bewilderment reaches a peak. "You always barked on and on about how you hated not being a hero, how you never did anything, then you leave, and come back exactly what you wanted, but," she meets my eyes, shocking me by showing tears streaking down her face.

"What happened? Were we not good enough? Did you never see it, Jaune? Didn't you ever hear us say you didn't need strength?" She asks, hiccups breaking her speech, while I sit dumbfounded as my twin speaks. Several moments go by with nothing but the sounds of her crying. "You came back, and became a hero, yeah. But now, now you've left us behind. Our youngest siblings have to deal with silence, since Olivia is usually too busy, and Bianca gone. They themselves have to silence their screams because you never answer anymore, and they don't want to panic our sisters. You don't comfort Karen when she cries, and I-I'm always alone. Olivia tries, but you were always there for us.

"What did we do, Jaune? Were we not enough?" She meets my wide eyes, raw hurt palpable. "Was it not enough being our hero?" She devolves, wrapping her arms around her stomach, weeping bitterly.

 _W-what?_ I think in shock.

 **Um… Allow me to explain what I think is going on,** The Game interjects. **You currently have a girl crying right in front of you because you haven't been dishing out enough affection to your family. It appears you were essential to a lot of the sanity and stability of your family. You left them for eight months, then came back, and immediately started taking jobs after that, another two months passing like that, missing Christmas, even if you sent gifts back, and rarely doing anything aside from training or cooking, with no time for your actual family aside from tiny little tidbits.** It pauses for several moments, in which Ainz takes the reins.

 _ **If I am not incorrect, this would imply that Bianca has been training you as hard as she has been to get you to slow down, and spend time with them. To be their glue, be the brother they need,**_ he reasons, voice low. _**Of course, they appear to be suffering because you have changed so significantly. While you grew in physical strength, you unconsciously forgot that people need to have a good psychological support as well, which you have constantly, in the form of myself and your Semblance. It would appear that you forgot others were not quite so fortunate.**_

I stare at my sobbing sister, guilt welling up inside of me as I remember the times before going to Nazarick, before the Game.

I'd always filled the void in my heart of not being strong enough by helping my sisters. They called me their little hero, and it felt… Good. Oum, I craved it _so much_. I loved watching them smile, but it always left me, wanting. I wanted more. To be like my father.

I forgot something he told me before he died, what he called his core principle, his most important rule.

* * *

Flashback

 _"Jaune, whatever happens, never let family drift away. Behind every hero, every legend, there is a multitude of people, family and close friends, who supported them. Losing that support would spell their end. Family is the most important thing. It gives a hero a reason to fight, but even more importantly, it gives him hope for a future," Julius Arc said, kneeling in front of his eight year old son, a hand on the boys shoulder. "The adoration of the masses is nice for a hero, but family will accept your weaknesses, not just your strength. In turn, accept theirs, and never let them fall. Be loyal to family, for it is the strength of an Arc. Never take it for granted, for it is your life."_

* * *

Family. He'd always found time for us, his children, even when he'd been in between difficult missions. He'd been my idol, but more than that, he'd been my father.

 _I suppose I can be an idiot,_ I think as I grab my sister and drag her into a hug, prompting the sobbing girl to start throwing punches at my stomach and chest. I hold her as she lets it out, silently comforting her. _I forgot that my siblings suffered. That they missed our parents as much as I did. That they craved the attention I gave to them as much as I craved the attention they gave me. And once it was gone… Once I didn't want to need them, I started withdrawing from them. Substituted them with the people who thanked me for the missions I did for them. Even if people only know me as the Silver Knight while I'm on missions, rather than Jaune Arc. It might have left me hollow in the end, but it felt good for longer than my family did._ I whisper my heartfelt apologies to my twin as tears fall from my eyes as well, her fists slowing down. _I've taken them for granted. I've shamed my legacy… I'm no Arc…_ I hang my head in shame at the thought. _I am a stain on my father's legacy._

I hear Ainz grumble in the back of my mind, but he says nothing, the Game similarly being unusually silent.

Eventually, Rosemary stops moving, crying silently on me, limp as I hold her, rubbing soothing circles onto her back. After several long minutes of our tears intermingling, she stops crying, her breathing slowly evening out. I pull my head back after several minutes, ignoring the major ache in my neck that accompanied the move, and look at her.

 _Looks like she fell asleep,_ I think as I look out my window to find myself surprised that night apparently fell hours ago. _How long was Bi training me?_ I wonder, surprised, as guilt fills me even more. _I've been out there almost all day. Jeez, could I be any worse?_

 **Well, regardless, you should take Rose to her bed,** the Game replies. **She's obviously mentally exhausted and had to sleep after the exertion. She should wake in her own bed, but you'll have to check on her in the morning, understood?** I reply with a nod as I maneuver into position and pick Rose up, one arm under her back, another under the crook of her knees, and walk to my door, opening it with my foot.

I silently walk the quiet halls of our house to her room, down the hall from my own. I easily enter her room and tuck her into her bed without waking her, leaving just as silently, before slowly turning to walk back to my own room.

I almost enter it, when a thought occurs to me, and turn around, walking to Olivia's room, just across from my own, and open the door slowly. I poke my head in to see her wrapped in her blanket, curled into a tight ball. I let my face fall into a form of guilt, as I approach the enclosed form of my sister, her quiet sobs reaching my ears as I enter within a small radius of her. I stand beside her a moment, collecting myself, before silently grasping the blanket, slowly unraveling the burrow she'd created.

Immediately, I feel resistance as she tries to grab her blanket, and keep it around herself.

"Go away, Bi. I've told you, I don't want you, to-to see me like this," she says, the defeat in her voice breaking me.

I immediately find the weak point in the curled ball and pull the blanket off of her head. She locks her eyes onto me, the angry red swelling around her eyes denoting how awful she felt. I look at her for several moments, before unraveling the blanket from her shocked limbs, and climbing in next to her, wrapping my limbs around her waist.

"I'm sorry, Olivia, I'm here now," I whisper, pulling her closer to me. "I'm here." I feel her hands balling bunches of my shirt, and I tense slightly, just in time for a sob to break her lips, before she is up, throwing me at the door. I hit it with a heavy thud, sliding down, before she has me in her grasp again, and pulls me up to meet her tear filled angry eyes.

"Just, go, away," she bites out, before yanking her door open and tossing me out carelessly, leaving me in a heap as she locks her door. I sigh in sadness as my face falls, and move to sit next to her door.

 **You can't expect her to just forgive you like that, Jaune. She feels abandoned, I'd wager,** the Game says, seeming weighed. **She'll need time before she accepts you back, to believe you won't abandon her again. For now, be as you can.**

I only nod, pulling my legs to my chest and resting my forehead on my knees, closing my eyes and taking several deep breaths, trying to fall asleep as guilt claws me again.

 _What an idiot I've become,_ I think as my mind begins to slowly fade. _I should've known better than to believe she'd accept me right back after me ignoring her for so long._

* * *

I blearily open my eyes, my back springing with pain before it's soothed moments later by my Aura. I look around to find myself in a mostly dark hall, wondering why I slept in the hall, before the memories of the day before hit me.

I let my head fall on my arms as I realize once more how stupid I was to practically ignore my family.

 _Dammit all,_ I think in exhaustion. _In protecting one person, I lose track of another. So which ones are less damaging to lose track of? Those whose lives might be lost, or those who I might give my life for? This is too confusing for me._ I sigh in frustration after several moments.

 **I get that you're moaning and groaning over being an imbecile(as you should, but so should I) take a glance at your shoulders… And what your head is resting on,** the Game orders. I comply and look, only for my forehead to wrinkle as I note the blanket that I am almost certain wasn't there before.

 _Is this-?_ I begin, before the Game interrupts my thoughts.

 **One of Olivia's spares, yes. So, she's, willing to try, at the very least, to repair relations. You've got a lot of work to do before your family forgives you, got it, buster?** The Game informs me sternly, making me quiver with fear. I nod furiously. **Good, now, get your ass moving, make breakfast, and make sure to stay there with them while they eat, understood?**

I quietly get up, catching and folding the blanket over my arm before it hits the floor, silently opening Olivia's door, which she must've not relocked after seeing me here, and finding her asleep on her bed. I sigh and move over to her bedside, tossing the blanket over her, as I watch her shiver.

She's always cold. It's one reason she loves having so many blankets. Her Semblance is amazing on paper, but it leaves her almost always cold unless it's nearly a hundred degrees out.

 _I know that you have problems from your abilities, sis,_ I think as I watch her, guilt plaguing me still. _You don't need to suffer yourself just so I can feel a little better._

I lean in and put a hand on her head, Olivia unconsciously pushing into the new heat source, before pressing my lips to her forehead gently. I retract after a moment or two.

"Love you, sis," I whisper quietly, before turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind me. I take a long breath, before letting it out slowly as I make my way to the kitchen.

 _ **You should not think too hard on this, young Jaune. Relationships with others are always with their ups and downs. You should never forget how you've wronged others, but you should never bury yourself so deep in your mistakes that you never even begin to try rectifying them,**_ Ainz councils, his deep voice soothing my nerves. I take another deep breath as I reach the kitchen, holding it for several moments, before letting it out slowly.

 _You're right. Thank you, Ainz,_ I reply, opening my eyes with a renewed fire. Ainz hums with approval as the Game merely lets off a feeling of contentment as I begin to move around the kitchen.

I put my max Housekeeping skill to the test as I begin to make the breakfast of champions. It's the weekend, so I have an idea as to what I'm going to do to begin making it up to them.

 _But first, making them the best breakfast ever will be a small start,_ I think. I calmly move through the motions as I make pancakes, waffles, varying types of sausage, bacon, etc. As I work, I note my siblings slowly joining the room, some small chatter echoing behind me, though I ignore it as I prepare the food.

Once I finish the preparation, I assemble a plate for each of my sisters, tailored to their exact tastes, calmly glancing over my shoulder to note that neither my twin nor our two eldest sisters are there. I let out a small hmm before clearing my throat, gaining the attention of my younger sisters, and point at the sink near the wall. Jade and Aqua pout at me, but all of them wash their hands, before taking up their spots around the island in the middle of the kitchen.

I pick the plates up two at a time, and put them in front of my little demons… I mean, sisters, of course. What else could I mean? I whack Jade's hand as she reaches to eat it, causing her to glare cutely at me.

"No. We'll wait till we're all here to eat. It's been too long since we've all eaten together," I tell them as I set Karen's plate in front of the fifteen year old. "I'll go grab our three missing siblings and then we'll get started, alright?" I get a chorus of agreements from most of them, but Jade just sulks in her chair, prompting me to mess with her hair as I pass her on my way out. I ignore the indignant cry of outrage and smirk in amusement, before it's wiped off of my face by the memory of the previous night. I shake my head and move up the stairs, swiftly pacing towards Bianca's room. I stop in front of her door, my feet suddenly feeling like lead.

Bianca always had it the worst out of all of us. In a single night, she was propelled forward as the sole money maker for our entire eight person family. The money left from our parents; the small amount that the Valean council didn't line their pockets with; was enough for a small time of mourning, but she swiftly had to strike out on exceedingly difficult and dangerous missions. She took many scars-and nightmares-away from them. She hid all the struggle and pain behind a gentle smile and loving actions. She was the angel that saved our entire family through the deaths of our family. I helped, but if we'd been without her, none of us could've made it. That was-is why I always try my best to support her and help whenever possible.

But I forgot. I left her behind, just like I did with my twin, Olivia, and all the rest.

 _Gods, how can I be such an inconsiderate fool?_ I think as I grit my teeth and clench my fists, trying to build enough courage to knock. _She never left me when I needed her, and I am abandoning her now. I'm an idiot._

 **Perhaps, but are you going to add coward to that list? Knock, now.** The Game orders, prompting me to nod and raise my hand, before gently tapping the door. Almost anyone would miss it. That is, if they weren't a B-Class or above Hunter. For Bianca, it would have been equivalent to a cannon shot.

Several moments after I lower my hand, she opens her door, exhausted eyes landing on me, with her signature smile in place, masterfully covering the sadness in her eyes. Were I not looking for it, and if I did not know her as I do, I would not have noticed.

"Jaune?" She queries gently, her bright blue eyes holding no reproach in their depths, furthering my guilt. "What is it?" I avert my eyes, and try to speak, but find my throat constricting. I cough and try again, only to find my voice still suspiciously absent. After another try, Bi gently grabs my face with both of her hands and drags my gaze back over to her face. "Yes, Jaune? What is it? You know I'm always here to help you if you need me." I grit my teeth as she speaks, still smiling the same understanding smile she always has, tears nearly breaking from my eyes at her last comment, but I steel my resolve and take a deep breath.

"I-I'm, sorry, Bianca," I say, causing her to blink in surprise, her smile falling for a concerned frown. "I… I… I left you all behind. I left you behind and assumed you'd be fine without me. I ignored how you all might have needed me, and took it for granted that you'd be there when I got back." Tears flow freely from my eyes as I look down, too ashamed to meet her gaze. "I forgot just how precious each of you are. How much all of you do for me, and thought… Thought that I'd not have any problems down the line." I allow myself to sag completely. "I'm so sorry, Bi. I'm so sorry." For several agonizingly long moments, she doesn't speak or move.

"Oh, baby brother," Bianca says as she drags me into a warm hug. "You never needed to apologize to me. I love you, and nothing will change that. I was just worried. Worried that your drive to be like father would consume you. That you would lose sight of what kept him, and keeps me, fighting." I bury my face into her head, tears streaming from my eyes. "It hurt. It hurt, knowing that you were leaving us," I force myself not to flinch. "But I knew. Knew how hard it is to be out there and keep hold of what is important. Adulation fills a soul, supports it, but will ultimately fall cold." She steps back from me and looks into my eyes with a bright tear streaked face, smiling brilliantly. "We need you Jaune. Just as you will need us. I feared you wouldn't remember in time, and that you'd fall."

I take multiple deep breaths, shuddering with each intake, barely keeping what little composure I have left.

"I can't make up for lost time, Bi, but, I don't want to lose the time we all still have," I say, tears still flowing, though it's slowing. "Please help me. I don't want to leave any of you." This prompts a chuckle from her lips, as she looks up at me, making me feel so small.

"Oh, little brother. You never will be anything more than my adorable little baby sibling, will you?" She replies, merrily chucking even as I flush. "Of course I'll help you. Just know that our sisters are not going to hold their punches. Karen and Rosemary especially." I shudder as the tears finally stop, realizing what hell I've now subjected myself to.

"Well, for now, could you join our sisters in the kitchen? I've made breakfast, I just have to grab the last of our sisters and join there," I inform her, prompting her to nod and pinch my cheeks, causing me to flush again, feeling like a chastised child, before she leaves silently. I watch her walk for a moment before I move off to Olivia's room.

I knock and wait for several moment, before trying the door handle. Upon opening, I look around to find nobody present. Pursing my lips, I move on to my twin's room. I raise my hand to knock on Rose's door as it pops open, my twin looking completely unfazed, as though she didn't cry herself to sleep last night. We stare at each other for a few tense moments, before she breaks it.

"Yes, Jaune?" She asks, her voice cold, eyes much the same. I stare at her for several seconds, trying to get my thoughts into proper order.

"I, I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm going to try to slow down, to be there for you all as I was. I'm sorry I started leaving you behind. I never meant to, I was just," I pause to take a heavy breath. "Confused. I didn't know how to face you all. I didn't know how to interact with you now that I am strong. I was always the weak one, and I suppose, being the strong one was, therapeutic." I shakily hold her unwavering gaze. "I never wanted to hurt you all, I just... I have no excuse. I'm sorry, Rose." I hang my head, hoping that she'll at least let me try to repair the relations between us.

I'm not sure I could lose my twin and keep my sanity.

"I am not ready to forgive you over pretty words," Rosemary replies as she brushes past me. "Prove them, and then I might." I watch as she walks down the hall, slowly following after.

 _I suppose with her, that's the best deal I could get. She's the closest to me, so me cutting her out would hurt the most,_ I think solemnly. _Still, it will take a lot of time to repair my relations with her. It's a miracle she even bothered with letting me know that something was wrong. Normally with people, she'd simply let them know through actions, not words._

 **I'd wager that's because Bianca tried that, and you never saw.** The Game admonishes. **She went to the most pains to get you to stop. Rosemary saw that, and saw it fail. So she took to her words to make you see. Even if she believes it failed.**

I sigh heavily at the comment, once more making a promise to myself that I'd never ignore my family like this again.

I reach the kitchen to find everyone sitting, even Olivia, who must have arrived while I was talking with Bianca. Of course, they were all eating and chuckling among themselves.

I let out a small smile at them all enjoying my food, before scraping together a plate for myself, and taking a place next to my little pipsqueak Jade. I look at the little red haired devil, to see her barely even noticing the world around her, just blandly shoving food into her mouth.

I sigh for a moment, before stopping her from taking the next bite, getting a blank stare leveled at me from her.

"You clearly aren't enjoying my food," I note with some amusement. "So what's wrong with it." She looks at the food on her fork and then back at me, before giving a slight thumbs up with her free hand. I sigh, before looking around, and finding my prey. I reach past Karen and grab a chocolate chip pancake, before bringing the warm food over and waving it under Jade's nose.

She follows it like a puppy, sniffing without relenting. I tear a piece off and put it in her mouth, and she chews it, tasting all the goodness of the chocolate.

 _5, 4, 3, 2, 1,_ I count down mentally.

"CHOCOLATE PANCAKES ARE GOD'S BREAKFAST FOOD!" She shouts out, tearing it out of my hand and shoving it down her throat. I chuckle as the usually calm girl tears into her food, while I discreetly swap her plate out with a plate covered in the pancakes, with a side of mangos, her preferred fruit.

Our sisters laugh at Jade's outburst, causing her to look up with a pancake half in her mouth, eyes wide as her cheeks flush. She slurps her pancake into her mouth before leveling a cute glare at me.

I just lightly chuckle and point at her plate. She glances, and drool starts to fall from her mouth, before Violet whacks her on the head.

"At least eat the food, and not drool over yourself!" She cries, irritation obvious in her voice. Jade takes her suggestion as she begins to ravenously devour everything before her. Olivia sets a glass of milk before our youngest sister, and we watch as it vanishes in the storm that is Jade. We stare for a moment longer before we turn to our own breakfast, amused.

We spend most of the time simply eating, occasionally poking fun at each other, mainly enjoying each others company. I note from the corner of my eyes that Karen and Violet continually glance over at me, as though I might disappear at any time. I watch it for several more minutes before I point it out, making the two glare openly at me.

"We were wondering when you'd leave to go out and swing your piece of metal," Karen replies scathingly, her short bright crimson hair waving over her shoulders. "After all, you haven't stuck around for breakfast since you got back. Just wondering when you'd get up and go again."

"Karen!" Aqua objects, flushed. "There is no need to be so crass about it! Can't we just appreciate that he's here? He's a Huntsman now, he has to take missions and prepare for them, we all know that!" Violet scoffs at Aqua's words, easily detecting the weak conviction behind them as easily as I do.

"Father never failed, and he took twice the number of missions that Jaune takes," Violet bites, her green eyes narrowed into a glare at her plate.

I feel a lump in my throat as the three get into an argument over it, and watch as Bianca and Olivia look on, uncomfortable, as Rose tries to calm them and Jade merely ducks her head, hiding behind her red hair.

 _Well, I made this mess. I need to take responsibility for it,_ I think grimly. I raise my hands and let loose a slightly Aura enhanced clap, the loud sound drawing attention straight to me, all noise falling off. I meet each of their eyes as I begin to speak.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to begin to leave any of you behind. I was so caught up in the fact that I am a Huntsman that I forgot what it was to be a brother," I say slowly. "I began to take all of you for granted, and that left you without your brother. I cannot apologize for it more, and I will be doing my best to ensure it will never happen again. I cannot make up for lost time, but I will do my best to never fail as your brother again." I take a deep breath as I close my eyes for a moment.

"Thirty massages," Karen speaks up, drawing my gaze in confusion. She sits with her arms crossed, leaning against the back of her chair with her eyes closed and her head forward. "Each of us get thirty massages from you, five personal wishes which you _must_ grant, and training will come after any of us unless training is the focus of all there at the time." She opens her eyes and meets my gaze, daring me to object. "Got it?"

I look around to see that none of my sisters are making a comment or even seem remotely surprised by what Karen is saying. They undoubtedly planned out some of this together then, if not all of it.

"Alright," I reply with a sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I have no objections."

In an instant, Aqua is at my side, hugging my arm to her developing chest.

"I am taking big brother for training!" She shouts before dragging me out of my chair, shocking me with her strength. I knock my head on the doorframe on the way out, making a slight amount of pain to spring up before vanishing.

I grunt as Aqua drops me on my back with a giggle. I stand and look at her, blanching as I see the weapon now partially resting on the ground behind her, held in her left hand.

Most of us have normal weapons, Olivia with a spear, me with a sword, Rose with a bow, etcetera. Bi was odd with her umbrella/stiletto blade combination. That being said, Aqua always had to be the most extravagant. If you met her on the street, you'd never expect the rather average looking Arc to wield what she does.

But then, you wouldn't know the Arc's if you didn't think it _might_ not be completely off the wall.

Aqua Arc decided to blaze a path nobody could teach her, using a specially crafted war fan the size of her own body, almost five feet long from tip to tip. Its edge is covered in Dust blades of the finest quality. Ice, fire, electricity, earth, wind, and gravity Dust shaped into blades. To be perfectly honest, I never approved of her having such a deadly weapon, if only because there was nobody to teach her how to use it.

But she persisted with a shy smile. And now, in her third year of Signal, she is light years ahead of any of her peers. She's even crippled several for life, much to her own misery. It's hard to soothe her guilt when it springs up.

"My first wish, I want to be able to practice with you at least once every single time you're home from a mission, preferably every week," She states happily. I gulp slightly at that.

All of us go up in strength by massive margins. The weakest, Jade, is roughly in the top of her age group, at middle E-class. Just above her is Violet, who is roughly in the middle in her age group for skill and strength, at high E-class, followed by Karen, who is nearly untouchable in battle by her age group, at High D-class. Next on the scale of skill is my very own twin Rosemary, who with her bow and arrow can take dozens of Huntsman and Huntresses at Mid-C class rank, putting her at high C to low B-class.

Aqua, however, shoots straight past all of them to be High B-rank to _maybe_ low A-rank in terms of skill. Her body is a practical weapon, honed to perfection. She is every single epitome of an Arc prodigy. While most Arc's are prodigies by most standards, we take it above and beyond. Quite frankly, the only reason she is still in Signal is because both Olivia and Bianca agree she should make friends her own age outside the family. She could easily be a fully fledged Huntress in her own right.

Not that I'd ever allow a fourteen year old to become a Huntress, but I digress.

That being said, I am a little intimidated by my smaller sister. Despite looking like a regular rather short blond haired girl, she is fast on her way to surpass both Olivia and possibly myself. And that makes it slightly scary to spar with her.

Nonetheless.

I draw my sword out off of my waist where it almost always lies and take a ready stance. She still isn't strong enough to actually land a hit on me if I don't use my shield, so I won't worry for now.

"On three, then," I reply. "One, three!" I launch at her, slowing myself down enough that she can keep up with me.

She barely blocks my attack, the metal mesh that makes up the majority of her fan bending slightly at my strike, before she lashes out with a kick, which I block with my left forearm, disengaging my sword from her fan, before jabbing at her eyes, causing her to move her fan into place, before ducking around to her left in her blind spot.

I meet her wide eyes for a moment, before jabbing her in her side with my fist, causing her to fold and tumble away.

"Sloppy, you can't cover your eyes without moving to defend against a follow up attack!" I chastise, allowing her to rise slowly. She stares at me blankly, actively beginning to try. I ready myself not a moment too soon as she launches her Semblance at me.

I watch the crescent of bright blue Aura shoots towards me. Funnily enough, even though I have a maxed out Human Race, I can't use any ranged Aura attacks. All of them are either reinforcement techniques for my physical or mental attributes, or attacks which require fists or bladed weapons. Not a single one is ranged.

Which leaves me without a way to attack if I am forced to fight from a distance.

I evade the first attack she sends with ease, and begin to slices through more and evade as many as possible. Aqua doesn't remain stationary either. She runs around me and jumps to make sure that all angles are being covered for. I continue with destroying her attacks, before I slice through one out of habit only to find my arm encased in a thick sheet of ice.

 _She learned how to imbue Dust into her Semblance?_ I think in shock as she appears in front of me, swinging he fan to strike my chest. I lean backwards and slam my sword and arm on the ground, shattering the ice, before rolling backwards and taking my feet.

"Good, you got me into a sense of security before surprising me with a new attack. But not good enough!" I say as I launch myself at her again, my sword ringing out against her fan as she spins it, changing the defense into an attack as my sword is sent to the side, slashing at my arms. I take the attack with a grunt, hissing at the Dust activates, burning, freezing, and slashing at me, as with as making my arm much heavier.

 **-117 AP!**

I grab her fan as it comes around for another attack and slash at her, scoring a direct hit across her torso, making her flinch slightly. As punishment for her momentary lapse, I strike three more times, easily bringing her Aura down to perhaps a fifth of its maximum. I jump backwards as she swings her arm, only for another slice of Aura to charge out of her arm, slamming into me, as I did not expect her to be capable of it this soon.

 **-88 AP!**

I assume a defensive stance as she decides to charge me, spinning before jumping into the air, causing me to squint as the sun glares down into my eyes. She drops like a stone off a cliff, slamming her fan down towards my head, prompting me to block, crouching as the force forces me to the ground, only for her to kick at me, slamming my face and chest, and kicking off with her Semblance projecting her backwards in a perfect flip.

 **-210 AP!**

I grunt as I fall onto my back, before I roll to the side to evade her next attack, lashing out with my foot as she strikes the ground, slamming into to her side with most of my strength, causing her to cry out in pain as her Aura shatters.

I stand to see her lying on the ground, weapon out of hand and panting heavily. Shattering ones Aura tends to leave any Hunter vulnerable. I walk over to her and lean down over her head with a smile.

"Much better, Aqua. You've improved greatly over the time I've been gone. Well done," I say as I reach out to her. "Now take my hand. We're not done quite yet, dear sister. Your training has just begun."

* * *

And I'mma cut it off right there. This took a long time to write, and I do apologize for the fact that I took so long to put it out. I've had a lot of life happening and with college starting soon it'll only get worse. So yeah. No idea when the next chapter will be out, but that will be mostly plot and action. And other things…

So yeah, see ya later.

-Lambda38


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hello everyone, and welcome to the next installment of Star Trek: Voyager-!*dives out of the way of a flying man screaming 'NO!'* Wait, what? This isn't Voyager? Wait… Dammit it's only Game Over, Game On? Aw….

Anyways, moving on. Now, for the purposes of this chapter, I'm going to address several issues that people might have with my story.

People accuse Jaune of being a weak willed or a beta. And he will be, to a certain group of people. To anyone else, he will be as tough as he needs to be, because Jaune is strong. He is among the top tier of Hunters on the planet(while understanding he is sixteen and this is absolutely insane).

Also, on the idea that this story is taking too long to get to canon, for any who a annoyed by this, let me say it now. Canon is a mess. It sucks. I'm not rushing to it, because I'm barely interested in it. Canon is canon, you have it, this isn't it. I'm not rehashing it, I'm not throwing in my creative towel for it.

By the way, sorry to those who are confused by all the time skips. I know, it's confusing, but I have a general idea of what's going on when, I'll put out a timeline if people want it.(also, soon the time skipping will be mostly over…)

But to all you who have a brain who like RWBY who wanted to like Hazel before his kinda bad motivations came out(as I was one of those people), let me give a glimmer of hope you may not have thought of. His sister died on a training mission. Team RWBY technically was on a training mission when they ran into the White Fang and Roman. So maybe, Hazel's sister died to other humans or Faunus, rather than Grimm. It would explain why he's with Salem, rather than a neutral party who hate both Salem and Ozzie.(that came from nowhere, I know, I'm sorry)

Now, onwards!

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Slated for Grimm**

* * *

 **Jaune's POV, One Month Later**

I walk stiffly off the airship that took myself and Bianca to Beacon Academy. The Headmaster had sent for us shortly after I'd been promoted to A-Rank 7, after a mission where I protected a town for thirteen hours as backup arrived and evacuations moved along.

My family relations had repaired to the point where all my sisters are about as clingy as they used to be, Jade and Violet even dressing me up on occasion… What are you looking at? Their pouts power levels were over nine thousand, I couldn't resist! Still, sometimes I found myself on the receiving end of much worry, of which I had to assuage by reminding them I am stronger by far than six of them, before being swiftly reminded how not the strongest I am.

Dammit Bi. Kinda hard to inspire confidence with a short woman pressing the heel of her foot onto the back of your head and effortlessly forcing your face to meet ground.

Though, I can't really complain to Bianca, she helped me, albeit without her knowledge, to finally gain the last level to Knight, making it a full level 10, and letting me gain the title of Paladin.

That being said, the Game clearly wasn't having it with me when it gave me the description.

 **Paladin Level 1(Cap 5)**

 **Sit the fuck down, you schmuck, it's only a title right now. What, you expected to get a bonus from just gaining a name? Ho, you are in for a shocker now, you little bastard! Get your ass off of that seat and make this title have meaning!**

So yes, it was feeling particularly sassy and irritable. I personally believe that it was on its period.

 **Fuck you. In the ass. With a rusty spoon.**

 _Language, dear Game. We wouldn't want the little children to go home with a potty mouth would we?_ I ask smugly.

 **You do realize only you know that I'm spelling shit, right?**

I flush as the realization dawns on me. I can practically feel the glee radiating from my Semblance.

All irritation aside, The Game did enlighten me that rather than percentage boosters, like all of my other classes, each level in Paladin would grant me a skill. With each of my other Job classes, one skill was granted every five levels, leaving me with three Squire skills, two Knight skills, and one Monk Skill. My Race class gave me a skills every three levels, so I have five Human skills, each pertaining to Aura.

Naturally, none of this left me prepared for the moment that Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, summoned both myself and my sister _by name_ for a mission. This is going to be a complete mess and a half, and I'm not sure I want to be in it. That being said, Bianca said that one does not simply refuse one of the most influential men in the kingdom.

Nor one of the three top Hunters on the planet. Or a man fabled for being the youngest Headmaster ever, and of course, he helped Bianca out in caring for our family after the deaths of our parents, sending her a stipend monthly to aid with finances until she was ready to take all of the burden.

But now he has called in a favor, presumably a mission for us, and that worries me. If it was normal, he would've simply sent Bianca a message with the mission enclosed, where we could accept at our discretion. Here, he called us to personally come to Beacon, and we have no option for denial.

This will not be easy at all. And I worry, even as strong as Bianca and I are, we might not be enough for it. There is a reason the Grimm still exist on Remnant.

I flex my hands as Bi and I walk past the entryway to Beacon Tower, and towards a blonde woman with a riding crop in a white blouse and black pencil skirt, with a purple cape on as well. As we get closer, she glances at me as she pushes her glasses up her nose, green eyes narrow as her mouth draws into a tight line.

 _What's with her?_ I wonder, narrowing my eyes in return. Bianca stops before her with a serious face, smile nowhere to be found. I have to stop a snort as I see her short head tilted back to look at the blonde woman's easily six foot four height from her four feet and ten inches.

"Professor Goodwitch," Bianca says calmly, tilting her head in acknowledgment.

"Ms. Arc," the woman, Goodwitch, replies, before looking at me. "Mr. Arc. The Headmaster is waiting for you. Please follow me."

She turns and begins walking towards the only elevator in the building, and I take a discreet glance around to confirm that it is the only one, my eyes narrowing further.

 _Only one? Why would there only be one elevator in such a tall building?_ I wonder in suspicion. _Nobody would make a large building with only a single floor at the top, and having one elevator would make it difficult to have seperate groups of people reach different floors in different directions. Not to mention, tactically, if there were theoretically an attack on this tower, you couldn't flank them with multiple attacks at the same time. But, it is significantly easier to manage one elevator over two or more. Easier to trap people below or keep them from going in bulk._

I follow my sister into the elevator, and moments later, we begin moving upwards. Ms. Goodwitch says nothing, standing with a perfectly straight back as she practically glares at the door. I glance surreptitiously at my sister to find her fidgeting slightly with nervous energy, even while her face is a perfect blank slate.

 **If Bianca is nervous, we have every right to be,** The Game notes, for once abandoning pretense of irritation or humor. **There is nothing that we can deal with that she cannot already deal with. She's a practical unkillable monster to us in a pure stat measure.** I draw my face in and calm my features, loosening my stiff muscles as the elevator begins to slow.

I turn as it opens, Ms. Goodwitch leading us out, with Bianca directly behind her.

I walk out, flanking Bianca as I glance around the office. Windows form a circular perimeter around the office, allowing an angle of sight on the entirety of Beacon and even beyond, while gears loom above us, clearly operating the clock on the side of the tower. In the room, quite some distance from the elevator door, a semicircular desk sits with a stylized swivel chair rests, with Professor Ozpin himself sitting there.

 _ **A view from the heavens, like a god gazing down upon the mortals below, while even if you look up, seeing it would be near impossible, while the weight of time falls upon all, even the heavens. An interesting design, to be certain,**_ Ainz comments. _**But the question that one must ask is this, what time is bearing down? A deadline, a race? What is the purpose of all this?**_

 _I wish I knew,_ I reply as Bianca and I stop before the desk, Ms. Goodwitch taking a position beside the Beacon Headmaster. _But I doubt it's good._

"Professor Ozpin, it's nice to see you," Bianca says coolly, not a glimmer of friendliness that I would have expected from her to the man who has helped us.

"I wish I could say the same, but the circumstances of our meeting leave me quite, distressed," Ozpin replies, getting a simple terse nod. "I'm afraid that the mission I have for you is one that cannot be given to any but the best. Slate Academy has fallen."

I stiffen in shock as I hear the news, Bianca clenching her jaw in response.

"Slate Academy?" I ask in disbelief, drawing Ozpin's gaze. "Of all places, Slate academy?"

"I'm afraid so, young man. While the students and staff put up a valiant defense, they did indeed, fall," he replies. "Which brings us to the crux of this mission. I need the two of you to break past the Grimm still at the Academy and find any that may still be alive." I stare at the man in disbelief.

Slate Academy was built deep in the Grimm Badlands of Saunus, surrounded on all sides by Elder or Ancient Grimm. And he wants us to break into it past that level of resistance?

"What else, Ozpin?" Bianca asks, clearly anxious, by the set of her back. "You wouldn't send both of us if you merely wanted to look for survivors. What else do you want?" I stare at Bianca, wondering where exactly this clod side of her came from, feeling a deep measure of guilt at not having realized it sooner.

Ozpin lets out a sigh.

"There were many studies on the Grimm done at Slate academy, with either live subjects in laboratories, or on their behavior while not in the presence of humans and Faunus. We need all the information that is still left from their studies, in order to aid our defense of the Kingdoms," Ozpin states, causing my sisters head to dip, though I can't see her expression from my angle.

"So just another play against-," she whispers so softly I can barely make out what she says, cutting herself off and continuing before I can even begin to comprehend it. "We'll get it done. Then we're even."

I look at Ozpin to see him grimacing slightly as he nods.

"Very well," he replies slowly. "We'll be able to get you to within a hundred miles of Slate academy. Past that, it will be up to you to actually make it there. We will give you access codes that were sent to us for their security systems in case of disaster, and enough food for five days. You will have two days to make it there, one to gather everything and anyone you can, then another two to make it back to the drop off point, where a several bullheads will be waiting for any survivors. They will only be able to stay there for a few hours at best before they must return so they don't run out of fuel, seeing as landing will be too risky for them to do for long."

I share a look with Bianca at that.

 _Even at my top speed, held for as long as I can, we'll barely be able to make those constraints,_ I think with narrowed eyes, while Bianca's expression forces me to remain silent. _We need more time._

"I'm afraid that time is of the essence. Too much longer and nothing of Slate will be left, so you will not have time to return to your home and say farewells. We have already prepared the Bullhead and supplies are there waiting for you," he finishes, making my jaw clench.

 _I told my sisters I'd do my best to do something with them today,_ I think dismally. _I'd thought I'd have at least an hour or two before we'd need to leave. They won't let me live this down._

 **Quest!**

 **Picking the Pieces of the Slate**

 **Objectives: Break into the Slate Academy ruins, find all survivors, get any salvageable research information, and get everyone back to Vale safely.**

 **Rewards: 150,000,000,000 Lien, Job Class Open, improved relations with Ozpin, Slate Academy Survivors, and Beacon Academy.**

 **Failure: Death of Slate Academy Survivors, decreased reputation with Beacon Academy, ?, ?.**

 _A Quest with a rather massive cash reward…. Shit…._

"Fine," Bianca replies before turning to leave. I glance at the two across from us before turning to follow her, a thought glancing across my mind.

 _Why does it feel like we are both on an opposing side to that desk?_

* * *

 **Ozpin's POV**

"She's still angry," Glynda points out as I stand near the window behind my desk, watching the Arc siblings as they depart.

"As is her right to be," I reply calmly, my gaze watching as the boy looks over his shoulder at the tower, directly up at me. "My mistakes cost her much, even if some of them were to her gain."

"Even so, once this mission is over, she will have no reason to allow you any sway over her family or even allow you to ask missions of them. She may even forbid them from attending Beacon," she replies, clearly disturbed. I merely shake my head.

"If we manage to save some of the students or staff of Slate academy, it will be worth it," I reply. Glynda scoffs.

"And then what? The knowledge that Slate fell will be a massive blow to the people's confidence in Huntsmen," she asks, agitation clear in her voice. "We cannot simply silence them all, even if we kept the information of Slate's fall on a need to know basis." I sigh as I watch the bullhead flying away from Beacon.

"We will do what we must. For humanity."

* * *

 **Jaune's POV**

I look at Bi as she goes through the packs we were given on the Bullhead Ozpin provided. She has already found the security cards and codes that we need for the information gathering portion, and is now going through the various food items and water that were provided.

"We'll need to be off the moment we land. Unfortunately, the Grimm will be a constant factor that we will need to account for," Bianca states, her voice calm and steady. "We will have to run for at least eight hours each day at your fastest speed to arrive at Slate in time for our deadline. That being said, we will be slowed significantly by the Grimm, so we will have to rest for only a short time both days, perhaps an hour, before we resume running again. Sleep will be limited, at best for five hours tonight, maybe four tomorrow." She tosses me a gallon jug of water from the ones Beacon provided right beside her. "Drink all of that in the next ten minutes. You'll need it for the run ahead."

She grabs her own and sits in a seat next to me, chugging it without any issue in less than a minute. I ignore her and begin drinking mine.

 _If we run for eight hours each day, theoretically, we could cover half of the distance if we had no interruptions. With the Grimm, we must assume that we only have a total distance of forty, no, at best thirty, miles in that eight hour period,_ I think as I drink the water, ignoring the slight discomfort in my stomach. _After an hours rest, which really won't be much of one with Grimm constantly attacking, we would have at best two more hours of daylight, and after that, our pace will decrease significantly so as to not die to ambush. We might not make it in time, even._

I lean my head back after I finish the water, closing my eyes. After several moments, I reach over and give Bianca's free hand a light squeeze, which she returns hesitantly.

We say nothing, simply wait for the Bullhead to arrive.

* * *

 **Several Hours Later**

The bullhead doors open as it stops, allowing me to peak out the side, to see us hovering above a large clearing.

 _"Alright, we're roughly fifty feet above the landing zone. Record this position in your scrolls and be back here by 2200 in five days. The extraction team's will wait from then to 2330 before they have to return to Vale. Good Hunting,"_ the pilot says over the intercom, before Bianca jumps out of the side, prompting me to follow.

She hits the ground and rolls off her momentum into a run, having already taken care of plotting our course inside the bullhead. I land and run after her, pushing my speed to the max as I evade trees.

 _Help me keep my emotions to a minimum, you two. We can't afford any excessive Grimm presence,_ I say to Ainz and the Game.

 **I'll need to be silent to help with that task as much as possible. Your mind isn't easy to suppress, even for me, a part of you,** The Game says.

 _ **I will help as much as I can,**_ Ainz replies as a feeling of calm sweeps over me, my features falling to a blank stare under my helmet.

I keep up with my sister as long as I can, beginning to feel the edges of exhaustion by the fifth hour, and flagging by the seventh, even with my Aura supplying my muscles with energy fighting the creeping fingers of weariness. It doesn't help that the entire time, we faced no less that four Grimm each mile, which is much better than what I expected, but still bad, since nothing out here is weaker than an Elder, and all require some effort to kill or evade on the run.

Bianca showed her exertion by the sweat on her forehead, clearly feeling the same fatigue as I, if to a lesser extent. She looks over at me while stabbing an Elder Creep in the skull, motioning me to stop.

"We need to rest," she says after I stop. "I can tell you are quite fatigued, and I myself am not in top shape." She takes a deep breath as she shrugs off the pack supplied by Beacon. "Get some water in you. You'll need it." She grabs a flask of water from her own pack as I remove my helmet, taking a long drink from it.

I follow her example and completely drain my own, wiping some of the sweat off of my face, silently thanking her for the merciless training regimens she put me through. Hell, the exhaustion was far more brutal than this after I had to carry those Grimm around Vale for eighty miles. Much worse…

Then again, I was running from a psycho sister while carrying Creatures of Grimm for a day and a half, so maybe not the best comparison to now.

I forbid myself from sitting, knowing that will only make the ultimate resuming of the run that much more difficult.

Both Ainz and the Game had eventually had to call quits with reigning in my emotions, as both tired far faster than any of us really expected. It could be that since all three of us draw from the same physical brain and thus run out of energy together, but I digress.

Bianca and I kept a highly attentive watch as we rested, killing the few Grimm that beset us during this time. I checked my scroll to find my Aura dipping to about the seventy percent mark, which is fair for what I've done, but not great. After that, I checked the time, finding it to be nearly six in the evening, with the sky reflecting this fact, and we'd only made it forty three miles to our destination. If we kept this pace, we should arrive very late tomorrow.

"Alright, Jaune, enough of a break, we need to keep moving," Bianca says, looking none the worse than when we left, if not for the slight edge of weariness in the set of her eyes. I nod and replace my helmet, slinging my pack over my back and following her as she begins running again.

We run for four hours this time, barely making it past the sixty mile mark before I can continue no more. We set down camp in a hollow beneath a tree, after ensuring no Skullspinners made their home here. I chose to sleep closer to the exit, making sure any Grimm that try to get in have to go through me.

Bianca, of course, had to set up many traps before she deemed that either of us could dare to sleep. Many of them are simply noisy, but somewhat distant from us, to wake us up if Grimm pass by, but some are in the area near us and meant to kill.

After she set them up, she allowed herself to rest on the ground pulling a journal from a secure pocket in her jacket.

"What's that, Bi?" I ask curiously, as she flips through its pages, reading. She takes several moments to respond.

"It's a journal, Jaune. I know you can see it," she says, giving me a small smile, eyes filled with a gently teasing light. I snort in amusement and roll my eyes, but don't ask again. Asking Bianca for information twice never ends well. I close my eyes and lean back against a root of the tree around us. After a moment, my exhaustion pulls me under, but not in time for me to miss the last comment Bianca made. "It's a warning, little brother. I love you."

* * *

 **The Following Morning**

Without any preamble after I wake up, the darkness of the forest surrounding me, Bianca forces me out of the tree hollow, getting me ready for the run once more. I ignore my inability to see and simply put my helmet on, channeling some Aura into the runes as the darkness lifts from my eyes.

Bianca leads the way, abandoning her pack in favor of putting all the water and necessities into my own pack, what we have left, anyhow. The darkness of the morning is much the same as the day before, except with much stronger and more numerous Grimm.

Seriously, the entire way, we were harried by a Grimm at least once every three minutes, if not more. Even with Bianca's badassery taking out six different massive Griffons in less than the time it took me to take six paces to avoid their trajectories, we were making poor time.

By the time the sun rose by hour four of our run, we were both sweating up storms and panting, barely having made it twenty miles, with each hour being less progress as we went on.

Seriously, if I had to say something ridiculous, I'd say a general or something wanted to keep us away from Slate Academy.

 _Dammit, Game, can you do anything to help us?_ I ask as I jump over the attack of an Aged Alpha Beowolf, my sword slinking into its eye gap, barely managing to pierce far enough to kill it.

 **I apologize, but I am not able to help right now. Your energy is my energy, so I cannot supply more, and even then,** It cuts off as I duck, allowing Bianca to soar over me and slice through an Ursa Major. **There isn't enough time to do anything. There are no breaks, and nobody in the area to help us. Even reaching for Nazarick is impossible at this distance.**

I curse as I force my legs to keep going, working in tandem with my eldest sister to kill Grimm and still make progress.

By hour six, the two of us are forced to stop at the eight five mile mark and create a resting zone.

"For the love of Oum," I say as I cut through another Nevermore, while Bianca stabs a young Deathstalker. "We can't keep this us." I gasp for air as Bianca dispatches the last Grimm in the area, her shoulders shaking slightly from lack of oxygen.

"We must, Jaune, for the people that may yet live at Slate," she tells me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We will rest for now, as much as we can, but we must continue." I reply with a nod. Our small pocket of calm and rest ends after ten minutes, which I believe to be a godsend, because we needed it.

After it, we continued on, soldiering beyond what anyone could have reasonably expected of us. We fought our way for more than five more hours, finally making it to the gates of Slate academy.

We rush in, both sweating profusely and raking in heaves of air, looking for a spot that might offer a small respite from the Grimm.

I spot a door and run to it, pulling it open to see an empty and destroyed gymnasium building. Most certainly NOT Grimm free. I close the door and run over to Bianca who is currently walking through another door and waving me over.

I crash through it to find an empty room. Bianca shuts the door after me as I put my hands on my knees and gasp for air. After several minutes of this, the Grimm start pounding on the outside of the room, causing me to turn and face the door.

I stare at it as it shakes, waiting until eventually my legs give out in exhaustion when it becomes clear the door won't give. Bianca lands behind me, leaning against my backpack for support. After the two of us take several deep breaths, she begins to speak.

"Slate, has multiple places where, Grimm bunkers, were built," she says, fiddling with one of the pockets on the backpack still on me, pulling something out. A few moments later, the sound of her gulping keys me in on the fact that it's water. She then hands it to me, and I accept gratefully. "Meant to withstand long enough for a rescue to be sent, just in case the defenses of Slate were overwhelmed." I take several deep drags from the canteen as she speaks. "The fact that this one has no supplies means that it was taken out of service. More than likely we won't be able to stay here long before the Grimm overwhelm the walls."

I let out a long groan at the news, taking several long breaths. Bianca simply sighs at my response.

"We can rest for maybe an hour, at best. Even the bunkers weren't meant to hold forever," Bianca mentions, getting a grunt from me in response as I pass the water back. After several minutes of silence, she begins talking again. "Jaune, do you remember last night, you asked what I was reading?" I glance at her over my shoulder in surprise at the clear reluctance in her voice.

"Yes," I answer. She sighs and pulls in out of her pocket.

"It's, a message. A message that father left me several missions before he died," she tells me, causing my jaw to drop as she looks at it. "And one that he left for you for when you became strong enough to know all the truth. Actually, he left messages for all of us." I look at the book in her hands, a mix of awe at the fact that he left us a final message, and anger that Bianca kept it from us.

"Why didn't you1," I begin, before she cuts me off.

"Because he ordered me not to," she responds, voice cold. "The truths that he unveils in this are nothing less that horrifying. They keep me up at night when I think of them, give me nightmares beyond anything anyone could comprehend. He tells me, the only time that you or any of our siblings should be made aware of the knowledge he left us is if any of you rise to the level of S Class Hunters." I shiver as she says that.

 _She thinks that I am S class? I'm only a high A ranking Hunter for Oum's sake!_ I think in shock.

 **Bianca would not be at her power level if she was unable to calculate the power levels of others, Jaune,** The Game interjects as my sister continues talking.

"He said that was the baseline power any of us would need to know of these things." She taps the book on her thigh before handing it to me over her shoulder. I hesitantly reach over my own and grab it, trying to pull only for Bi to not release it. "Jaune, promise me." She looks over her shoulder, drawing a gasp from me as light pink irises filled with tears are revealed to me. "Promise me you'll only read this, if, if you return home alone."

My limbs freeze as I understand what she is saying.

"No, no, I can't," I refuse as I stand, turning to face her as she does the same, though slower. "I'm not about to act as though you're going to die on me!"

"You can and you will, Jaune Arc," Bianca orders, voice filled with steel as her eyes shift to blue, her Semblance up once more. "You will because you swore to father that you would protect our family, and an Arc-."

"Never goes back on his word," I bite out bitterly, my fists clenching as she extends the book again.

"I know how hard this is, Jaune. I didn't want to accept it when father gave it to me," she says, her eyes and face softening. "But we are the strongest Arcs now, and we need to live to that title." I hesitantly reach out and take the book, eyeing it like a viper as I turn and pretend to pocket it, dropping it in my inventory.

"Fine, but you're coming home with me, got it?" I reply tersely, gaining a smile in return. She then proceeds to move towards the door.

"Time to go. The Grimm are likely piling up outside this door, so we need to leave now," she states, drawing her umbrella off of her back where she stowed it. I nod and put my helmet on, moving towards the door and grabbing its handle.

Bianca waits for me to open the door before flashing out, easily slaying multiple Grimm in the time I manage to get out there.

I bash a Griffon away with my shield, grunting heavily as my muscles burn, Aura on overdrive. I slash at a small Taijitu, decapitating one head as I kick an Alpha Beowolf hard enough to shatter its breastplate.

Following this, I jump above a rolling Boarbatusk, slashing with my sword and managing to slice it in twine, before Bianca steals underneath me and stabs the Griffon I'd struck earlier, killing it instantly.

"Come on, they aren't our objective!" She shouts as I land, running towards the largest building near us. I follow as I bash away another Grimm with my shield, already feeling the strain on my tired form.

We manage to make it inside only to find several large King Taijitu's making a nest. We battle our way through them, literally in my case, as I cut a path through one. We run, dodging and killing Grimm as we go until we make it to what looks like a rather solid door. Bianca yells at me to cover her as she races towards it.

I turn to face our pursuers and gulp.

 **I count, three King Taijitu's, seven Taijitu's, three Boarbatusks, nine Alpha Beowolves, three Ursa Majors, six Griffons, and, is that a Nuckelavee? We may just be fucked…** The Game states, nervous.

 _Any ideas, Ainz?_ I ask, taking a defensive stance as the Grimm get closer.

 _ **I may be able to summon creatures to aid us, but even if I could, it would take some time, which we don't have,**_ Ainz responds, as I jump forward and stabbed at a Griffon, piercing its brain, turning the attack into a deflection of a Majors attack, bashing the head of an Alpha away from me, slashing the top of its head off. _**And also, your energy, in turn, my energy, is too low to risk on summoning creatures. The same problems arise if I try to cast any magic.**_ I duck under a Taijitu's lunge, slashing it in half as I jump upwards to avoid the charging Alpha Beowolf, only to curl behind my shield in order to absorb the attack of a King Taijitu.

I land harshly, rolling to my feet with the force.

 **-419 AP! Warning! Aura has fallen beneath 1000 points!**

I twist out of the way of another Taijitu's attempt to bite me, only to have to duck beneath the diving attack of a Griffon. I manage to slash one of its legs off, and jump at an approaching Ursa Major, slashing its head off.

I turn in time to see the arm of the Nuckelavee about to slam into me, and do my best to brace before it strikes, sending me flying into the far wall, next to the now open door that Bianca went through.

 **-723 AP! WARNING! AP HAS FALLEN BELOW 250 POINTS! IMMEDIATE RETREAT ADVISED!**

 _Stow it Game!_ I manage to think as I dive out of the way of another attack, in time for something to impact my back. I grunt as I fall as my Aura finally shatters, too done after two days of constant overuse and beatings.

 **-122 AP! -389 HP!**

I look over my shoulder to see something that makes my blood run cold.

"BIANCA!" I scream as I see my sister, blood flowing from her throat as the Grimm land down near her.

 **AINZ! GET US OUT OF HERE! NOW!**

I feel my mind slipping from my grasp as Ainz and the Game remove me from power. I manage to meet my sisters panicked gaze for a moment before the Gate Ainz opened swallows me. My back impacts the ground on the other end, my body mine once again.

 **Quest: Picking the Pieces of the Slate Failed!**

* * *

 **A/N:** If anyone wants the calculations I made to guess the time it would take them to reach Slate from the drop off point, just PM me.

Also, I may have failed to point this out directly, but Jaune doesn't have Gamer's Mind or Body. He can and does feel exhaustion. True, he heals with a bed and some sleep, but even he can fall to the siren song of sleep.

Also, this may be a poor place to put this, but to anybody who wants to vote on who Jaune should be paired with... Well, do so. I'll take it into mind... A little bit...

I forgot to post this earlier, so here are Jaune's current stats. I have it set up to read, Former(previous chapter)stats+change(increase between now and then)=Current stats.

 **Name: Jaune Arc**

 **Race: Human Level 15**

 **Race EXP: MAX**

 **Health +700**

 **Aura +1750(Arc Perk)**

 **Str, Agi, End, Def +70**

 **Res +56**

 **Wis, Int +42**

 **Extra Pnts +140**

 **Class: Squire Level 15**

 **Class EXP: MAX**

 **30% Speed increase with swords**

 **25% Defense increase with swords**

 **30% Defense increase with shields**

 **Knight Level 10**

 **Class EXP: MAX**

 **+40% to Armor Defense**

 **+20% to Shield Defense**

 **-13% to Sword Skill Costs**

 **Paladin Level 1**

 **EXP: 54/100**

 **Sit the fuck down, you schmuck, it's only a title right now. What, you expected to get a bonus from just gaining a name? Ho, you are in for a shocker now, you little bastard!**

 **Monk Level 8**

 **Class EXP: 89/100**

 **+27% to Unarmed Attack**

 **+27% to Unarmed Defense**

 **+22% to Unarmed Speed**

 **Total Level: 49**

 **Stats:**

 **Former(+Change)=Current**

 **HP: 1,300**

 **AP: 3,250**

 **STR:206(+22)=228**

 **AGI: 228(+31)=259**

 **END: 200(+37)=237**

 **INT: 92(+3)=95**

 **WIS: 72(+18)=30**

 **LCK: 30(+0)=30**

 **DEF: 132(+55)=187**

 **RES: 96(+24)=120**

 **Extra Points: 140**

There it is people. Later.

-Lambda38


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Well, people seemed to like the last chapter, overall. And yay, this is now the most favorited story I have.(most likely because my other two are OC driven stories….) Anyhow, just gonna address some things, but if you don't care, move onto the chapter.

To the guest who commented that Bianca had it coming….

Did she really? Was she wrong to say that family is the most important? I don't see her as particularly manipulative, just kinda... Holding all the cards. All the time… Maybe a little manipulative, but she hardly deserved to be left to die.

Also, yeah, Bi has left the stage. Tears. This chapter is dealing with the aftermath of that, so be prepared for a lot of counseling for young Jaune. And stupidity… and lack of maturity…

fuck, the kid's 16, what do you expect?

Also, some history lessons via the father's final message.

Onto the story!

 **p.s.-I will have a bit of an announcement at the end, please read it.**

 **p.p.s.-to all the ones who voted for me to make my own history….. ugh...**

 **p.p.p.s.-Pretty big info dump here... sorry!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Death in the Family**

 **Jaune's POV**

I sit up slowly, wincing as my muscles fight the movement. I look around, taking my helmet off as though it would change the truth. The damning, soul-crushing truth.

"Bianca!" I shout, my head turning wildly as I look for my sister among the trees that Ainz had taken us too.

The bright green trees, far from the dull fall red the trees near Slate had been.

 _AINZ! WHERE IS MY SISTER!_ I scream at him, fear and anger clouding my mind as he remains silent. _GAME! ANSWER ME! WHERE'S BIANCA?_ For several minutes, I'm left with nothing but silence as I scream at the both of them, the trees around me feeling my rage as my arm swings Crocea Mors, leaving Crocea Luna on the ground where the Gate had dropped me.

After a while of this, I stop and simply try to think, my mind swirling with the rage and panic, helpless as my angry ranting at Ainz turns into desperate pleas to take me back, to save my sister.

But I am rewarded with nothing but silence. I fall to the ground, tears streaming down my face as denial and anger run out.

 _I abandoned her,_ I think in despair. _I left Bianca behind when she needed me to help her._

Again, only silence reigns to greet me. It seems that I've been abandoned by my own self. I let my sword slip between my fingers as I fall limp. Even as tears drop from my face to the ground, I note there are ants crawling on the ground, acting as though nothing had changed.

I grimace as I take my scroll from my pocket. A few taps and I access a simple app that monitors Aura. One that every Arc ascribes to.

Both myself and Bianca read absolute zero. I stare at the dimmed picture of Bianca smiling with a flashing red **SIGNAL LOST** over it. No Aura means we're at least in danger of dying. Signal lost...

And inside of an area like Slate Academy…

 _Bianca…_ I grit my teeth in rage and shame. _Damn it._

I jet to my feet and let out a senseless roar, simply letting all of my emotions into a single sound. Predictably, I hear the response of Grimm calls, but ignore them in favor of continuing till my breath runs dry.

I let my shout die with a gasp, falling to my hands and knees as the growls of Beowolves surrounds me. I look up and see the black creatures approaching me. With Aura, they'd be no threat, even the Alpha.

Without any Aura at all...

I wait until the wolves launch themselves at me through the air, before jumping at the closest one with a hate filled snarl, plunging my fist through its paper like skull.

 _These MONGRELS think they stand even a sliver of a chance!_ I think in rage as liquid streams over my cheeks. I jump at the two to my right with a howl, slamming both fists through one before kicking the other into a tree hard enough to kill it.

I to find the Alpha slamming his arm into my body, sending me through a tree.

 **-258 HP! Warni-!**

I dismiss the message before it can finish, getting up and moving to grab the Beowulf jumping at me only for my body to resist, my tired and overworked muscles simply refusing to move.

I brace and tank the tackle, gripping the jaws of the wolf before pulling and pushing its jaws apart, splitting its head with a loud grunt. I dismiss the damage indicator and glare at the Grimm around me, counting six other Beowolves aside from the Alpha. I let out a challenging growl and dart towards one, scooping up my sword as I charge.

As I lean and grab my sword, my right leg lags for a moment, sending me careening to the ground with a grunt of pain.

 **-32 HP! Warning! HP has fallen to less than half! Immediate Retreat Advised!**

I grunt as I force myself to my feet, glaring at the charging wolf, spearing it through its head before changing the momentum of my sword into a slash, cutting through a leaping wolf. I step back as a sneaky one tries to bite me, only to get a sword through the gut for its troubles.

I jump backwards as the Alpha darts in to strike me, before trying to step in and pierce its cursed heart. My arm falters for a moment, and I pierce too far to the left, jamming Crocea Mors into the flesh of the creature. I stare into it's burning red eyes before it darts its head down to bite me.

I fall backwards to avoid it, letting my sword slip through my grip as I try to survive.

A moment before the creature can bite me, a massive sword slices through its torso, bisecting it with ease as a red blur moves to catch it. I watch as Crocea Mors falls towards the ground from the dissolving Alpha's corpse, the red blur having caught the massive sword and moved onto the last three Beowolves, easily slicing through them with a reach of easily ten feet.

I grunt from where I am on the ground as I try to move, my body now utterly refusing to budge as my adrenaline wears off, air coming into my lungs in insufficient gasps. I look up to find a scowling amber eyed huntress looking down at me. Wait, she looks a little, familiar.

"Y'know kid, when I gave you an A-rank Hunters license, I did it under the presumption that if you were exhausted and out of Aura, you'd know that even weak Beowolves are able to kill you," she states, still scowling. "Yet here we are, with me running into your stupid ass out of Aura and apparently out of common sense." She groans and reaches behind her as she straightens her back, drawing a bottle from a pack on her waist. "And here I thought this would be a simple extermination mission. Of course, my luck is as good as the fucking bird's, naturally it would get complicated."

She takes a very long swig as I just watch silently, panting all the while. My body won't move, and unfortunately, my tongue appears to be following the trend.

I stay still as liquid dribbles down the Huntress' chin, as black begins to creep over my vision, and ultimately, my eyes fall shut.

* * *

I groan in discomfort as I come to, my body stiff, resisting any attempt I could make at moving.

I open my eyes and try to figure out where I am, seeing merely a standard tavern room, with wooden walls, ceiling, small window, and nothing else of significance. There may be things around me, but as I mentioned, my body refuses to move.

I let out a louder groan as the feeling of Aura washes over me, clearing out some of the stiffness and clearly repairing my muscles. I lie where I am for several minutes, before a notification pops up in front of my face.

 **Due to excessive amounts of overexertion and Aura depletion, you have given yourself the following debuffs:**

 **Stiff Muscles:(5 Days Remaining)**

 **Overexertion of your muscles has led them to be quite stiff and prone to being unresponsive.**

 **-75% to STR, AGI, END, and DEF.**

 **30% chance of muscles not moving.**

 **65% chance of pain while moving.**

 **Impaired Aura:(3 Days Remaining)**

 **Depletion of Aura and excess injury to physical form have led to Aura regeneration and effectiveness dropping drastically.**

 **-95% APR.**

 **All Aura Healing now impossible.**

 **Aura absorbs 20% of damage rather than 100%**

I stare at the screen in front of me, slightly trembling with rage.

 _NOW you come back? With nothing but ill tidings and bad news? Yet you can't even help me save my sister?_ I ask furiously.

 **Jaune. You would have died if you stayed any longer. Something that injured Bianca is not something you could have faced as you are.** The Game chastens, making me shake.

 _Something? What something-?_ I ask in anger.

 **Not now, Jaune. Your rescuer is coming back. Don't trust anyone with your father's journal until you've read the message he left you. And don't allow ANYONE to read it,** my Semblance orders, confusing and angering me greatly as I hear a door open.

I move to sit up, only for my back to flop on the bed halfway through the motion. I do, however, get to see the woman approaching me with a look of annoyance in her eyes, as well as the number of bottles around the room and the massive sword lying on the floor next to a small desk.

"So, the little shit returns to the world of the living," She states crassly as she pulls a chair from the desk to the side of the bed. "Was more than a little touch and go for a while there. Your Aura isn't regenerating for shit despite being unconscious for two days." Two days? "I was honestly shocked to find you in this little neck of the woods. Ozzie told me he sent you and Miss number one to Slate. Something about a routine training exercise."

I stare at the blue haired woman for several seconds, running what she said through my head.

 _A training exercise? A training exercise?_ I think, rage building.

"How the hell do you even know Bianca and I went to Slate?" I ask scathingly.

In response, I get a raised eyebrow from the woman, who shrugs out of her red trench coat and tosses it on the desk, revealing a simple loose black t-shirt. She turns the chair so the back is facing the bed and then sits unceremoniously in it, one leg on either side of the back, resting her arms on top of the back.

"Because I called Ozzie and told him I'd have to take a couple of days to care for you," she replies calmly. "And he wondered what you were doing here, and then I asked where else you'd be, and voila." She rubs her eyes, making me notice the large bags underneath them. "Honestly, I didn't expect to hear you'd been sent to Slate. And I'm wondering how the hell you got from there to here, when the pilot says you damn well jumped just like your big sis."

She glares at me for a few seconds, before sighing.

"So, what? What happened?" She demands. "Why on Remnant are you here and why did you get this?" She holds up the journal Bi gave to me. I look at it in shock, before moving to take it from the woman, who easily keeps it from my reach.

"Give that back! It belongs to my family, not to you or anybody else!" I grit out, trying in vain to rise from the bed I'm in, only for pain to shoot through my muscles.

"Only if you tell me why you have it," the Huntress says again. "Bianca barely ever let it off of her person, and damn near took my head off the one time I decided to try and figure out what it was." I stare at the woman.

"Who the hell are you?" I bite out.

She snorts.

"I remember that your sister always managed to get herself into too much trouble for her own good," she replies, avoiding my question. "Anything for this book. Hell, I remember when she was in my class and her partner tried taking it, she decked him. Broke her wrist, but she tried. Honestly, I think the part I remember most was when she asked me to make her a trap that would fling a dozen pies at a target." She lets out a wince as she rubs her shoulder. "Didn't think she'd fill the pies with lead, though."

I stare at her as realization dawns on me.

"Cressida Navy," I mutter, eyes wide. "You were her team's Watcher at Slate. Taught her how to wield her weapon." The woman grins at me.

"Naturally. Even though she knew how to use her blade, the parasol was a touch your old man couldn't get," Cressida replies. "So I gave a tip or two." She leans forward, holding up the journal. "And again I ask, why do you have this?"

I glance between her and it, letting out a long sigh.

 _I do need it back, and Bi told me about the times she tried to hide the fact that she took Navy's sweets,_ I think in annoyance.

"Bi gave it to me after we reached Slate," I reply quietly. "We were in one of the bunkers and surrounded by Grimm when she gave it to me." I swallow some spit, trying to get some manner of liquid in my dry throat. "What Ozpin didn't tell you is that Slate has fallen." I hear a loud draw of breath from the woman next to me. "We were racing through the halls to get some of the data stored in Slate, when we got caught. Grimm were overwhelming, and there was something. Something, waiting. Bianca…" I look at my lap. "I didn't see what happened. Just saw that Bianca's throat was coated in blood. And at that moment, I, fell through something. A portal, if you will. And that's how I got here."

Silence greets me for a minute as I fall into my thoughts, rage filling my head at my failures with nowhere to go except inwards.

"Well, fuck," she eventually comments, sounding tired. I hear her take several massive gulps. "Fuck, this is bad. You and Bianca were sent to recover survivors and data?" I nod in reply, staring at the blanket covering my legs. "Well then, it's all truly lost to us isn't it?"

I don't bother replying. Cressida sighs before tossing the book onto my lap, roughly getting out of her chair.

"I doubt you'll be in any shape to fight for another few days, so I'll make sure you don't kick the bucket," she informs me as she leaves the room. The door closes with finality, leaving me alone in the room, staring at the journal.

I gently take it into my hands, staring at it for several seconds.

 _Dad… I wonder what you'd be telling me right now,_ I think despondently. _I'm not a hero. I wasn't even able to protect the people right in front of me, my sister, who I cherished the most. You'd probably call me a stain on our family's legacy. I wish I could live up to you, but I can't._

I open my inventory and place the small journal inside, too ashamed to open it. Too ashamed to do anything except lie back down and close my eyes.

* * *

" _ **Can we truly do nothing for him?"**_

 **We could intervene. Could tell him some things, but I believe he needs time. He may not understand why we did what we did.**

" _ **Do you have so little faith in him as to always assume he'll do the wrong thing?"**_

 **He's only sixteen now. He isn't mature enough to take things like this logically.**

" _ **And you are? You only gained sentience when Jaune's Aura was awakened! Up until that point, you were simply a drone under the surface of Jaune's soul!"**_

…

" _ **Jaune needs us both. We cannot simply abandon him."**_

… **I'm afraid, Ainz…**

" _ **... I know."**_

* * *

I walk stiffly around the room that Cressida rented, thinking about Slate, thinking about what I could have done differently.

 _If I'd only been faster! If I'd stayed in Nazarick until I got stronger, this wouldn't have happened!_ I think in agony. _I could've become strong enough to keep Bianca safe, could've done more!_

I punch the wall, then recoil as pain shoots all the way to my shoulder, and cradle my fist, panting.

It's been a day since I woke up. And in that day, I've grown used enough to the various muscle spasms and falterings to make sure I don't kiss the floor. I take a step towards my bed only for my leg to give, sending me to my hands and knees, panting.

Mostly.

"You're really kinda pathetic," a sour voice notes. I flinch in surprise and turn to the window, where one red garbed woman sits, a bottle empty in her hand. "Like, really pathetic."

Another thing I've learned is that my sister's old Watcher has no love for beating around the bush. Even so, I can hardly backtalk while I'm in such a state. My Aura is barely even at the 30% mark. Frankly, that's amazing, given the 95% debuff my APR has. It's no less annoying for it, however.

"Yeah," I agree morbidly.

"You ever gonna read that book?" She asks after several minute of me simply sitting, causing me to jerk. I narrow my eyes as I process her question.

"I don't know. Maybe, maybe not," I reply. My answer provokes a sigh.

"So, what?" She asks, not disguising the irritation and exhaustion in her voice. "You feel bad for letting Bi die?" I flinch, but say nothing. "Or maybe you feel like because she died, you're unworthy to read that. Not living up to the legend she's left behind?" I grit my teeth, but don't answer. "Or perhaps it has little to do with her, and more to do with dishonoring your father." I jerk my gaze to her, surprise and anger entering me.

"And what would you know about it?" I snap at her.

"More than you," she replies callously before taking a drink. I pause, stunned at how calloused she is about it. "I was a Watcher at Slate kid, just like my mother and her mother. Your sister's team was my first assignment, when I was twenty four. Managed to get through a year, then an accident occurred, and half of them, died." She sighs and takes several more gulps of her drink. "I was removed as your sister's Watcher and given a new team, while she and her last teammate were sent through the private course, but I tried to keep in touch. Two months in with the new team, routine practice run, they were slaughtered. I barely managed to scrape away. Trained my ass off after that one to try and get better, so I wouldn't fail my next team like I had the past." She stares at the bottle in her hand. "Next team came. I managed to keep them alive for half a week."

She takes a massive drag from her bottle, before throwing it at the wall. I flinch as it shatters, sending glass fragments everywhere.

"Slate offered to keep me, but it was obvious they only offered out of pity," she bites, face red. "My mother had been one of their best, and I was by far a stain to her. So I left. Said nothing. Just went. My mother called every week for three years as I made a name for myself as a Huntress. I never picked up. Never listened to the messages. Didn't want to hear how much she hated me for being a failure time and again." The woman meets my eyes, seeming drained of rage. I stare back, uncertain how to respond. "A week after the last call, she broke down my front door and marched in to find me with bottles around my apartment. Pinched her nose and gave the most aggravated sigh I ever heard from her, before proceeding to lecture me for a good hour on health care as she forced me into a bathtub and took care to get me mostly sober.

"Put me in a bed when she was does and told me we'd talk in the morning before she used her Semblance to put me dead asleep," she chuckles bitterly. "When I woke up, I could smell pancakes and bacon. Went out to find my apartment near spotless. No alcohol left, anywhere. I even checked my hidden stashes to find only a note that said 'No.' When I entered the kitchen, my mother said good morning, like nothing ever happened. We ate, she commented on how well I'd done for myself as a Huntress, and on how she was shocked to not find any sweets or wrappers lying around." I blink, furrowing my brow.

"Is there a point to this monologue?" I ask, getting an incredibly baleful glare in return, making me hold up my hands in surrender. "Sorry, it just seems weird you're spilling your life story." She simply smiles, which makes her seem a lot less, sad.

And honestly kinda pretty, in a, weird older woman way.

 _Wait, how old is she?_ I wonder idly.

"Fair enough. But listening to me is less destructive to your psyche than the depressed bullshit you've been pulling this past day," she comments, making me scowl, but she continues before I can get a word in. "But moving on, after her questioning my abandoned love of sweets, I yelled at her. Asked her why she was so calm, why she even bothered to come see me, a failure. I yelled for quite a few minutes, while she sat there, looking at me and occasionally sipping a cup of tea." She chuckles, this one sounding much more, happy. "After I was done, she asked if I felt better. I stared at her for a second, while she stood up and walked over to me. I thought she might slap me, might be angry, do _something._ But she just smiled and hugged me." Cressida sniffs, wiping her eyes with a cloth pulled from one of her coat pockets. "Said every team knows they might die. Not everyone will graduate Slate, as being located in the middle of Grimm territory is terribly dangerous. And she said, that she'd failed the first few times as well. Difference was, her mother addressed her failures immediately, rather than letting her wallow in self hate." She lets out a heavy sigh. "Said she was sorry, for not helping me when I needed it, not letting me know she understood." I open my mouth, but she continues. "My point is, your father wouldn't hate you. Even when Bianca's team died, he came by with a freezer on his shoulders, and a sword in his hand. Found her on the roof, and proceeded to hand her a spoon and a gallon tub of ice cream.

"He never was angry, he never got disappointed. He only ever worried over her and eventually called your mother so she'd kick Bianca's ass into gear," she looks at me. "I doubt he'd hate you. He'd grieve, grieve like no man or woman should have to, but he'd never hate you. Ask anybody who knew the man. If anything, he'd be proud of what you tried to do. Running the Slate Gauntlet is meant for high S rank Hunters, and only when air support for Bullheads is in drastically short supply. Perhaps Ozpin meant to keep Slate's fall a secret, but you should have been taken all the way." Her gaze turns to a hard glare. "If anybody's to blame for this, it's him." She stands up and walks to the side of the bed, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You aren't to blame for this. Bianca wouldn't want you to hate yourself, and neither would either of your parents. Besides, your sisters will still need you. Now more than ever."

I look away from her.

 _But, I, I was there. I should've been able to help her,_ I think despondently. _I should've-._

 _ **Enough.**_ Ainz's powerful voice commands, shocking me.

 _Ainz?_ I ask, surprised.

 _ **You utilized every bit of power you possessed. Every inch of ground you could hold, you held, every Grimm you could slay, you did. Any blow you could block, blocked. There was nothing left for you to give, and nothing to be ashamed of.**_

 _But if I had more to give-._

 _ **If you had trained longer, it's more than likely you would not have been able to get back in time to build enough of a reputation. Bianca would have been sent on her own, and nothing would change, except you would never have the chance to know why.**_ He states, tone brooking no argument. _**You are not guilty of your sister's death.**_

 _I, I, I-I,_ I think as tears begin to fall down my face. _I just, I just-._ I stop thinking as I feel arms embrace me stiffly. I look over and see Cressida hugging me, looking more than a little uncomfortable, but trying nonetheless.

"I'm sorry about Bianca," she says. "But I've known her since before her rise to rank one. And she'd tell you she loves you, Jaune."

I feel my final barrier shatter, and clench my eyes shut as I try to curl in on myself, weeping bitterly. I hear Cressida sniff as something lands on my head.

 _Bianca, I'm so sorry._

* * *

 **After the crying is over with, because I am no good with feels.**

Cressida looks at me, her eyes slightly red, before going over to the desk, and opening her bag.

"Hear, drink some of this," she tosses me bottle, which I barely manage to catch, before staring at it, then the woman who gave it to me. "Doing shit is better than not doing shit. Drinking something will help."

 _Alcohol, which Olivia does dabble in occasionally, but this woman takes to a whole new level,_ I think. _I don't want to be like that, but perhaps…_

I pop off the cap and throw caution to the wind, prepar8ng for a major burn in my throat, only to find nothing as I swallow the stuff.

 _Wait,_ I think before swishing some of the liquid in my mouth. _This, this is…._

I swallow it and look at the woman, who's grinning,

"Well?" She asks impishly. "What do you think?"

"This is lemonade. Why do you have lemonade in an alcohol bottle?" I ask incredulously.

"I like it, and I'm a spy for most of my missions," she says, dismissively waving her hand. "I do have some actual alcohol, but I only break that out to piss people off or if I want to shag them." I blink at the unfamiliar term.

"What?" I ask, prompting her to roll her eyes and take the bottle from me.

"Nothing you need to understand," she states before taking a massive swig from the bottle. "Now if you'll excuse me, I do need to go on a patrol. The town's letting us stay for free in exchange for protection services. Still, Grimm usually aren't bad here." She steps out the door after easily picking her massive sword off the ground.

"How are you planning on getting that thing out of-," I begin to ask, before she presses a button and it contracts, shortening to half of its original length as the six feet on the end split apart and fall around the base of the sword, providing a substantially shorter sword just barely taller than Cressida herself.

"Ways," she says simply.

She exits the room without another word, leaving me with my father's book on my lap.

 _Ainz,_ I call.

 _ **Jaune.**_

 _I, I can't lie. I'm angry at you. Both of you._

 _ **I understand. Please do not let this loss stop you. You have too much left to live for.**_

 _I know,_ I think, trying to reign in my anger. _But, as angry as I am, I need the both of you to help me get stronger._

 _ **We are always here. We will help you as we can. Even if your Semblance is silent.**_

 _Game, where are you?_ I ask, getting no response for several seconds before a screen expands over my vision.

… **. I'm here.**

I stay silent for several seconds, trying to sort the emotions that the emergence of both other parties in my head provoke.

 _We need to get stronger. You'll help me._

 **As I ever have done my best to.**

 _ **Jaune,**_ Ainz interjects before I can reply. _**You should read your father's message. It is meant for you, and it should not remain unread.**_

I don't reply as I pick up the small book, before opening it to the first page, to find a single sentence.

' _To the reader of this book, only blood of my blood may open its secrets.'_

I stare at the sentence in confusion, before flipping through the book, to find it blank. I flip through it several times, before finally settling back on the first page, more confused than even.

 _What? What is this? It's just blank,_ I think, staring at it, before my minds wheels start turning, trying to understand it. _Dad wouldn't write this as a joke, he's not that mean. Maybe it has something to do with his Semblance? If I remember right, he once told me that Crocea Mors couldn't be used by anyone outside the family._ I stare at my hand, before drawing a bone knife from my inventory.

I press it to my hand and draw a cut.

 **-1 AP! -4 HP!**

The blood barely reaches the outside of my body before the cut is sealed.

I press the barely existent stretch of blood to the book, and the sentence disappears before writing appears.

I let out a breath in shock. I don't know how my father did that with his Semblance, but I am impressed.

' _Hello, Jaune. I know you must have questions, and I am truly sorry I cannot answer them all. But what I am about to tell you here is beyond any shadow of a doubt vital to the survival of our world.'_ The world? _'The thing I should likely begin with is the beginning of our world. You remember the story of the Two Brothers, don't you? You loved it, so I will not recount it here, but I need to tell you it's real.'_ What? _The Brother's existed. They fought, and came to an agreement together. They then created humanity together, but that was not all. One of the Younger Brother's terms that the two wouldn't do combat was that they still do combat in the form of personal Avatar's._

' _These avatars would be weapons of their might, and would decide what would rule the planet. Grimm, or Humanity. However, when they first implemented the system, there was an aberration. An anomaly appeared, a kingdom known only as Ainz Ooal Gown. The kingdom was led by two people. And Undead Overlord known as Momonga, and a Dragon Lord named Laguz Draco. Together, they were opposed to the avatars, and sought to rule the world, to tear it from the Brother's grip._

' _As you might imagine, the Brother's did not wish this. Their avatars United and stood against the new kingdom, but were being overwhelmed, even with the might of the Grimm and humanity behind them. So the gods stepped in, to wipe out the newcomers. However, even with their addition, the battle raged for days longer. The avatars were killed, the humans driven away, and the Grimm decimated. Ultimately, even when Momonga and Draco were brought low. Before the Brothers could strike the two down, however, a third entity appeared. The one that caused the aberration in the first place._

' _A rival god, if you will.'_

I stare at the page for a moment before the Game pipes up.

 **This sounds like a shitty plot from a 90% marked off anime from the Dollar Store….** It comments, causing Ainz to cough…

 _Ainz, we shall be having words,_ I think to the man in my head.

 _ **Later.**_

' _He forced the two Brothers into sleep, cursing them with it until eternity had ended. Then he decided to wipe the memory of the people who had escaped the battle, so that the Brothers would only live in legends, rather than reality. By the time he finished, Momonga had fallen from his injuries. So the third god struck a deal with Laguz Draco. The god would create a two lines of people who could bear the souls of the fallen members of Ainz Ooal Gown, and in return, Laguz would give up his soul as a permanent seal on the Two Brothers so that they would never awaken to plague the world. Draco agreed._

' _After he was placed in the seal, the god fulfilled his word, and created to people to carry on the souls of Ainz Ooal Gown. I know not who the second was, but one of them was our first ancestor, where all Arcs trace their heritage.'_

"Julian Arc," I whisper, hardly believing what I am reading.

' _My father passed this tale to me, as I pass it to you. Many generations ago, we allowed many to know these things, but eventually, many of us were hunted. At one point, we numbered in the hundreds. Now we barely reach nine, including your mother. Now, the secret is only told to Arcs if they are strong enough. It's useful to have a second soul in us, for it grants us strength. My entire Semblance is because of who I have in my soul. She's, an interesting sort, but she's been with many Arcs before me, so she explained much of this to me herself._

' _She said most of Ainz Ooal Gown had been reborn many times, all excluding their lords, Momonga and Laguz Draco. Still, she was not very open to explaining what happened that day._

' _Regardless, the third god was not entirely successful. He found that the avatars of the two Brothers had simply been transferred to two others. So he cursed them. They would not die, they would live unto eternity. One of these two avatars is Ozpin. He can be killed, and many have done it, but he simply reincarnates every time. The other is unable to die._

' _These two continuously fight, trying to come out on top, but neither can win, due to the third gods interference. He wanted to destroy the Brothers System, but he was too tired from his sealing the Brothers, and thusly left it whoever would inherit the soul of Momonga, as only they would ever gain the ability to destroy the immortals. One from our line, one day, can do it._

' _I do not know who, and we have no way to tell who is the soul of our brethren until they reveal themselves. I'm sorry I can help you no more, my son, but I have told you all I know. What you do with it is up to you. Just know, I am proud to be your father, and I love you beyond any reckoning._

' _Give this to your sister's when you believe they are ready. Their blood will reveal personal messages for each of them._

' _Julius Arc.'_

I stare at the book in my hand, reading the final lines multiple times before the ink vanishes from the page.

I sit still for a long time, trying to process everything I just read.

 _My family created by a god to hold souls? A kingdom called Ainz Ooal Gown? The Brothers being real? What is this?_ I wonder in disbelief.

 _ **The truth, I believe. I remember fighting with the Two Gods. Honestly felt more like a particularly hard Raid Boss. Barely managed to do anything to them, from what I can recall, and was struck by excessive amounts of Light Magic from the God of Light.**_ Ainz states.

 _Ainz, who are you? Ainz Ooal Gown is the kingdom, so who-?_ I begin, before stopping, as I have no words.

 _ **I am Ainz Ooal Gown. It's head, anyways. I took up the name Ainz Ooal Gown so that any of my friends would know to find me if they made their way to this world. But I was formerly known as Momonga, the leader of Ainz Ooal Gown.**_ Ainz reveals, making me pause.

 _I, don't know how to react to that…_ I eventually reply.

 **We have many options before us, but this is the first we need to address. Ozpin.** The Game firmly states. **He sent you and Bianca on what is tantamount to a suicide mission from what I can tell, and didn't even bother giving you backup. We need to decide what to do with him**

Anger clouds my head at the Games words, both at it and Ozpin.

"Let's talk, then," I reply.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey all people. This was a big info dump, I know, I'm sorry, but it had to be done.

For now, there is another poll.

This is one on what Jaune should do, and is on my home page:

Should Jaune join Ozpin?

Should he join Salem?

Should he remain outside of all of this?

Should he train his family till they are strong enough to be a force of God?

Should he watch Ozpin closely, ensuring that the man does nothing against the people of Remnant?(specifically Jaune's family)(this leads to Beacon)

Or…(my least favorite) say to hell with all of you, restore Nazarick, and conquer Remnant?

I'm rooting for option 5, just saying.(It gets fun from there, I think.)

Anyways, vote if you want, and I'll see ya next time!

-Lambda38


End file.
